MPs in the Legislative Chamber have approved the Judges' Status Bill in its first reading. The bill is designed to establish judges' legal status through a dedicated law, further strengthen the independence of the judiciary, and enhance judges' legal and social protections.
The bill proposes revising several requirements for candidates seeking judicial appointments. In particular, it would lower the minimum age for judges and people's advisers from the current 35 to 30.
The bill also proposes changes to how judges are appointed. Under the bill, a judge would initially be appointed for a five-year term, after which the appointment could become permanent.
At the same time, the bill calls for tightening the qualification requirements for candidates for judge, court chairperson and deputy chairperson positions.
The bill includes a number of provisions on social protections for judges and their family members.
Another significant innovation is the proposed implementation of a "judge emeritus" status in national law. Under the bill, retired judges would be granted a range of rights, including the right to work as professional mediators.
The bill also includes provisions aimed at making the operations of the Supreme Court and lower courts' administrative staff more efficient.
During the debate, MPs emphasized that establishing judges' status through a dedicated law is important for ensuring judicial independence and strengthening judges' legal and social protections. MPs also put forward a number of proposals to ensure the provisions in the bill function effectively in practice.
Following the discussion, the Judges' Status Bill was adopted in its first reading. The bill will be refined ahead of its second reading based on MPs' proposals and recommendations.
