28-10-2021 16:44
Representatives of the Norwegian Courts Administration got acquainted on the spot with the progress of projects funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism (NFM) 2014-2021, implemented by the National Legal Aid Bureau (NLAB), the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Supreme Judicial Council).
During the working visit, the Head of the International Secretariat of the Norwegian Courts Administration Iwar Arnstad, the Legal Adviser Victor Drosu, the Senior Adviser in the Legal Division of the International Secretariat Zozan Kaya Asphaug and the Coordinator Nieke van De Berg also met with the Deputy Minister of Justice. Head of the Program Operator of the Justice Programme of the NFM 2014-2021.
Teams of lawyers and Roma mediators have provided nearly 1,300 legal consultations to people living below the poverty line, including women and children from the Roma community for the last 6 months in the implementation of the project "Improving access to justice for people living below the poverty line with a special focus on women, children and the Roma community”, it became clear during the dialogue with the NLAB. In collaboration with experts from the partner, the Norwegian Courts Administration, work continues on an analysis of barriers to access to justice for representatives of the project's target group.
Under the project "Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating judges and other legal professionals" the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has taken measures to prevent the risks associated with the pandemic situation by introducing the possibility of online training. A framework for sustainable judicial training in the field of fundamental rights and the rule of law for Bulgarian magistrates, judicial and prosecutorial assistants, as well as 10 self-study resources with up-to-date and systematic review of legislation and case law in civil and criminal justice is being developed.
The partners from the Norwegian Courts Administration and the SJC team on the project "Strengthening professionalism in the Judiciary" discussed the measures taken to compensate for the delay caused by the epidemic situation, sending Bulgarian magistrates for traineeships at the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights.
The guests from the Norwegian Courts Administration reported the series of meetings as beneficial to the team of the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. The parties expressed satisfaction with the good bilateral cooperation