Justice Ministry launches reform of commercial and tax dispute system

Georgia’s Ministry of Justice has announced its intent to reform the process of commercial and tax disputes to improve and upgrade the country’s investment climate.

Georgia’s Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani stated today that the reform envisages the creation of special chambers/panels composed of judges with relevant and specific knowledge to timely and effectively solve business disputes.

“The reform, which is liked and approved of by the Government, will promote the fast and competent verdicts over business disputes that will significantly improve Georgia’s business climate,” Tsulukiani said.

She added the reform would support the increased inflow of Foreign Direct Investments and genuine advancement of Georgia’s economic system.

From the legal point of view, the creation of such chambers or panels would decrease the number of financial disputes in courts, the Minister said.

A law firm, Dechert Georgia, which is a branch of the international law firm Dechart, will consultwith the Ministry while preparing the reform’s legislative package.

Tsulukiani said the package was likely to be presented to Georgia’s Parliament in the first half of next year.

Presenting such chambers is important, as businessmen acting in Georgia will not face prolonged procedures and have their disputes settled in a timely manner.

However, Georgia still requires comprehensive reform of the court system.

All courts in Georgia must face reforms and the system somehow should be clean from the judges who had been involved in committing wrongdoings.

If someone can blackmail a judge it is less possible for him/her to obtain fair verdicts on certain cases.