IDFI presents 2017-2018 Interim Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the Strategy & the Action Plan by the Prosecution Service of Georgia
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Wednesday, October 30
The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) presented the 2017-2018 interim monitoring results of the Strategy & the Action Plan implementation by the PSG on October 29. The monitoring report was prepared by IDFI in partnership with the Civil Society Institute (CSI) and Association “DEA”.
According to the report, the implementation of the activities set forth by the Action Plan of the Prosecution Service of Georgia (PSG) worsened in 2018 in comparison with 2017.
In his opening remarks Giorgi Kldiashvili, Executive Director of IDFI commented about the challenges related to the Action Plan and its implementation. “Any agency needs a well-structured, ambitious Action Plan to achieve its objectives. The objectives set forth by the PSG Action Plan, such as increasing independence of the PSG as a whole and individual prosecutors, increase public trust towards the PSG, need important and meaningful actions to be defined by the Action Plan and carried out by the Prosecution Service in cooperation with other Government institutions,” said Kldiashvili.
He also expressed hope for the PSG authorities to take into consideration the findings and recommendations of the report.
“Over recent years several important reforms have been adopted in the prosecutorial system, including the strategy and action plan in 2017. This external monitoring report helps to identify the remaining challenges and possible solutions. We will also follow up in our common projects with the Prosecutors' Office,” said Peter Danis, Justice Programme Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia.
According to the interim monitoring results, the rate of performance of events has deteriorated in 2018 compared to 2017. Fully executed events are down 13% in 2018, while non-performing measures are up 23%.
According to the organization, 87 out of the 127 measures envisaged by the Action Plan in 2017 are fully implemented, 20 are largely implemented, 15 are partially implemented, and 5 are unfulfilled.
Of the 119 events scheduled for 2018, 32 are unfulfilled, 11 are partially completed, 11 are largely completed, and 65 are fully implemented.
According to the organization, based on the challenges that were identified in the report, PSG should take into account next recommendations regarding the Strategy and Action plan: PSG should update its Strategy and Action Plan in response with existing challenges and ensure participation of prosecutorial services as well as of public in this process; ensure introducing the PSG Strategy and Action Plan to its employees and carry out its work based on them; introduce sufficient and important activities in order to implement the goals and objectives of the Action Plan; Determine outcome and output indicators, as well as baseline, interim and final targets; improve the worsened implementation level of the 2018 activities; and create effective monitoring mechanism for its Action Plan;
As for the challenges identified in the monitoring process the PSG increase authority of PSG collegial bodies; Ensure transparency, fairness and objectivity of appointment and dismissal procedures of prosecutors as well as disciplinary proceedings within the prosecutorial service; Develop regulated structured mechanism for monitoring workload of prosecutors; Ensure that only or primary specialized prosecutors work on complex cases and ensure effective prosecution of torture and inhuman treatment and crimes committed during legal proceedings.
