All 10 judicial candidates for Supreme Court of Georgia have released a joint statement calling on the Parliament not to consider their candidacies.

According to the statement, the Georgian legislation does not envisage the possibility of recalling the candidates nominated by the High Council of Justice of Georgia and due to all above mentioned and in order to avoid unhealthy speculation, the candidates ask the Parliament not to resume the discussions over their candidacies.

“On December 24, 2018, upon the decision of the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia, our candidatures were submitted to the Parliament for electing as the Supreme Court judges.

The decision was followed by an unhealthy stir, including in the Parliament of Georgia, and it was declared that procedures and criteria should be developed for the selection of the Supreme Court judges and the candidates should be re-nominated through new rules. Regrettably, at the same time, unethical and insulting statements were made towards the nominated candidates and these statements artificially turned into the unprecedented pressure campaign against judicial power, where direct appeals were made regarding dismissal of the Supreme Council of Justice and expel of unacceptable judges, including the judges included into this list, from the judicial system.

All this damages judicial independence and violates the principle of the legal state, while the Supreme Council of Justice has acted within its mandate thoroughly.

Georgian legislation does not envisage the possibility of recalling the candidates nominated by the High Council of Justice of Georgia, and due to all above mentioned and in order to avoid unhealthy speculation, we address the Parliament not to resume the discussions over our candidacies”, – the statement reads.