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Description
Based on the results of the comparative analysis study of evaluation of the performance of judges in Spain, Germany and Finland and on recommendations made for improving the methodology of the evaluation of judges'' performance, system of the evaluation of the performance of judges will be revised. A public conference will be held in order to present the recommendations to the relevant stakeholders. State Judicial Council will amend the Methodology for the evaluation of judges’ performance based on the recommendations. Additional activities will be defined during project implementation.
The overall objective: Increased effectiveness and efficiency of the judiciary
The specific objective: Revising the system of the evaluation of the performance of judges
The project consists of following components:
- Component 1 - Elaboration of an analysis of the existing system of evaluation of judges
- Component 2 – Comparative analysis study of evaluation of the performance of judges in three EU member states
Component 3 – Recommendations for improving the methodology of the evaluation of judges'' performance
Summary of project results
The main objective of the project was to improve the system of evaluation of judges performance in the Republic of Croatia. Recommendations for improving the system for evaluation judges performance have been adopted and accepted by the project partner State Judicial Council of the Republic of Croatia.
Analysis of the existing system of evaluation of judge’s performance was conducted by both Croatian and Norwegian experts including the comparative analysis study of evaluation of judge’s performance in selected (three) EU member states - Austria, Netherlands and Portugal. Final recommendations for improving the methodology of the evaluation of judges'' performance have been provided and all accepted by Croatian partners, including the State Judicial Council. Modification of the Methodology for assessing the performance of judicial duties was drafted and send for official endorsement.
The main conclusion after the completion of the project is that is necessary to maintain the existing solutions that are adapted to Croatian system, mentality and historical heritage, and not to introduce new informal solutions that are not applicable in current conditions since they would very quickly jeopardize the achieved standards and principle of objectivity. However, as there were some gaps and ambiguities that raised doubts in practice, these addenda sought to improve the assessment system so far with recommendations to regulate a fair, efficient and objective system for the evaluation of judges. Although the work of judges cannot literally be reduced to figures, in this way the entire work of judges was tried in the best and most objective way, balancing the evaluation of quantity and quality and other circumstances and facts showing the work of judges, in order to ensure transparency and objectivity in the advancement of judges and the appointment of court presidents.
Summary of bilateral results
Croatian and Norwegian experts worked together on the analysis of the system of evaluation of the judges'' performance in Croatia and presented the recommendations to revise the Methodology of the evaluation of the judges'' work to courts during the final conference held in Rovinj in November 2023. Participants of the final conference were partners in the project, members of the State Judicial Council, the Norwegian Courts Administration, presidents of all courts of the Republic of Croatia, presidents of the Judicial Councils of all second-instance bodies, and representatives of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration. The cooperation has been continued, after project ended, in the form of the bilateral cooperation on conference, organized in April 2024 in Vilnius, Lithuania, that has engaged members of the judiciary (judges, judicial council/court administrations and trainers) in Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Norway, Romania and the Western Balkans, but also, interlocutors from academia and media. The objective of the conference was to identify different types of inappropriate pressure on judges and how judiciaries and judges can vaccinate themselves to such a pressure. During the conference academic research on this topic was presented and discussed , especially from the project “Judges under Stress” from the University of Oslo.