Jānis Bordāns informs OECD member-state ambassadors about progress in the justice sector
Published: 03.11.2022
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On Thursday, 27 October, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Jānis Bordāns
met with ambassadors of the member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) to inform them about the reforms implemented in the justice sector. Opening the annual
meeting with the ambassadors, the Minister of Justice emphasised that significant reforms had been carried out in the justice sector
over the course of four years, and that these had also been positively assessed by foreign investors.
During the meeting, the Minister of Justice acquainted foreign diplomats with the work completed in
the priority areas— a secure business environment, a fair judicial system, the introduction of e-solutions,
the protection of children's rights and the resocialisation of convicted persons. J. Bordāns
defined these priorities upon taking office in 2019.
J. Bordāns highlighted the justice sector audit as one of the most significant achievements—it was carried out for the first
time in the history of the justice sector, providing a comprehensive assessment of the organisation of the Prosecutor's Office's
work and the factors hindering the investigation and adjudication of financial and economic crimes,
with OECD experts also involved. The audit results also identified further areas of work and fields
requiring improvement. The Economic Affairs Court has now been established, and work has begun on creating
the Justice Academy to ensure sustainable and stable professional development for judges, prosecutors,
and court and prosecutor's office staff. Three Riga courts have been merged
into a single Riga City Court, and the time required to hear cases in the courts is gradually decreasing. Meanwhile,
a conceptually new procedure has been introduced for selecting candidates for judge positions in district and regional courts,
and the procedure for selecting a candidate for the position of Prosecutor General has also been changed.
Speaking about the development of the justice sector, J. Bordāns acknowledged that it is important to increase
the level of public confidence in Latvia's judicial system, including among foreign investors. A fair, swift
and effective judicial system is a prerequisite for attracting investment, developing the business environment
and enhancing the well-being of the population. Therefore, it is essential to develop the Economic Affairs Court, establish
the Justice Academy and continue introducing the E-Case system in investigation and court proceedings.
At the same time, the Minister of Justice highlighted public security issues, stressing
the need to improve the resocialisation system for convicted persons and to upgrade prison
infrastructure.
Speaking about support for Ukraine, J. Bordāns stressed the need to continue effectively implementing
the sanctions imposed by the European Union, as well as to find legal solutions for directing the frozen property and assets
of sanctioned persons to Ukraine and for compensating the damage inflicted on its civilian population.
This was the fourth annual meeting with ambassadors of OECD member states organised by
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Jānis Bordāns to inform them about the work completed
to improve Latvia's legal environment. More than 20 ambassadors and representatives of foreign missions
participated in the event.
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