Study visit to implement the Administrative Code of the Republic of Moldova in Bonn and Cologne from October 21 to 25, 2024. In the middle of the first row: Ms. Birgit Herkelmann-Mrowka, President of the Cologne Administrative Court. To her right: Mr. Sergiu Caraman, Chairman of the Judicial Council of the Republic of Moldova Republic of Moldova
Since 2008, IRZ has been supporting the Republic of Moldova in establishing and implementing a separate administrative jurisdiction. One central project involves providing advice on the drafting of the Administrative Code, which encompasses the Administrative Procedure Act and the Administrative Process Act. The Administrative Code, which was adopted in 2018 and entered into force in 2019, represents a milestone in the development of modern administrative law in the Republic of Moldova.
In order to promote the practical implementation of the Administrative Code, IRZ, together with the National Institute of Justice and the Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Moldova, is focusing on the training and further education of administrative court judges. In May and October 2024, IRZ facilitated two study trips to Cologne and Bonn, as well as two three-day training sessions in Chisinau in June and December 2024, to provide Moldovan judges with optimal support in applying the new Administrative Code.
A total of two groups, each with 15 administrative court judges and teachers from the National Institute of Justice, took part in these programs. Another basic training course for newly appointed administrative court judges will also take place in November 2024.
The training courses are professionally supervised by Mr. Klaus Hage, Presiding Judge at the Minden Administrative Court, and Dr. Georg Blasberg, Presiding Judge at the Cologne Administrative Court. The focus of these events is on practice-oriented application issues, which are intensively developed on the basis of case studies. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend oral proceedings at the Cologne Administrative Court and thus gain valuable insights into German court practice.
In addition to the training measures, IRZ will continue its advisory work on the reform of the Administrative Code in 2024 and support the Republic of Moldova in adapting and modernizing its administrative law reform.
The Moldovan delegation at the Ministry of Justice of Lower Saxony with State Secretary Dr. Thomas Smollich (1st row, 2nd from right). Moldova
As part of the consultations on the reform of the penitentiary system in the Republic of Moldova, IRZ organized a study trip to Lower Saxony from 10 to 14 June 2024. Representatives of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, the National Penitentiary Service and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office were among the participants. Dr. Thomas Smollich, State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice of Lower Saxony, welcomed the delegation, which also visited several prisons.
In his welcoming speech, Dr. Smollich emphasized that the Ministry of Justice of Lower Saxony was happy to support its Moldovan colleagues in introducing a progressive prison system, particularly in view of the country's EU accession candidate status. In the subsequent expert discussion, which was moderated by Dr. Stephanie Springer, Head of Department III (Prison Service), questions relating to the work and responsibilities of the Ministry of Justice in relation to the prison system were discussed in depth.
The delegation also visited the Bremervörde prison, the Hameln juvenile prison, the prison for women and the prison for young offenders in Vechta and was able to get an idea of the different needs-oriented approaches.
IRZ has been advising the Republic of Moldova on the comprehensive reform of prison law since 2017. The introduction of a progressive prison system in line with European standards is an important building block in the course of EU integration. The continuation and intensification of cooperation is therefore also planned for the future.
The delegation visits the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice; front centre: Justice Minister Dr. Kathrin Wahlmann, behind her to the right: State Secretary Dr. Thomas Smollich. Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia
In late August 2023, the IRZ invited three delegations from Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia to Lower Saxony to exchange experiences on issues of ensuring the independence of the judiciary. This event was prepared together with the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice.
Justice Minister Dr. Kathrin Wahlmann welcomed the delegations. The expert talks were led by the State Secretary in the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice, Dr. Thomas Smollich, and the Director of the IRZ, Dr. Stefan Hülshörster.
The President of the Lower Saxony State Court and President of the State Labour Court, the Chairman of the Chief Judges' Council, the Presidents of the Social Court and the Hanover District Court and the President of the Braunschweig Higher Regional Court were also involved in the talks, along with other employees from the Ministry of Justice.
From Ukraine, the Deputy Minister of Justice, Banchuk was joined by representatives from the Supreme Court, the High Judicial Qualification Commission and the High Council of Justice; on the Moldovan side, in addition to the Deputy Chair of the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee, the interim President of the Supreme Judicial Council and the President of the Supreme Council of the Public Prosecutor's Office took part and a representative of the Ministry of Justice and, from Georgia, a judge of the Supreme Court was joined by the President of the Georgian Bar Association and the Director of the National School of Judges.
The composition of the delegation ensured an intensive exchange of ideas and experiences, during which the guests also presented the current status of their reforms, particularly regarding their efforts to prepare for accession to the EU.
The visit was rounded off by expert talks with the co-Chair of the German Association of Judges and with the Parliamentary State Secretary, Benjamin Strasser, MP in the Federal Ministry of Justice in Berlin.
