NCJ Number
164561
Date Published
1996
Length
108 pages
Annotation
A roundtable of justice ministers from central and eastern Europe took place in Warsaw, Poland, in April 1995; the roundtable focused on the role of the judiciary in a state governed by the rule of law.
Abstract
The purpose of the roundtable, organized within the framework of the Council of Europe's legal cooperation programs, was to develop and consolidate democratic security in Europe. Participants explored the position of the judiciary in relation to other powers, guarantees of judicial independence, and the role of the judiciary in protecting citizen rights and freedoms. Communications for the roundtable were received from Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Macedonia, and Ukraine. In most countries, courts have the power to interpret laws. Review of the constitutionality of laws is usually the preserve of a constitutional court or tribunal. The extent of judicial versus executive power in the administration of justice varies by country; countries generally have two main judge investiture systems, election or appointment; and constitutions in all countries stipulate that civil rights and freedoms of citizens should be protected by an independent and impartial judiciary.