Minister for Justice Jānis Bordāns visits the Constitutional Court
Today, on 21 March, Minister for Justice Jānis Bordāns and Head of the Minister’s Bureau Aldis Bukšs paid an official visit to the Constitutional Court. The delegation from the Ministry of Justice was welcomed by the Judges of the Constitutional Court in full composition. During the visit, the parties discussed current matters related to the judicial power as well as focused on several issues regarding reinforcing the rule of law in Latvia and fostering public trust in the judicial power.
Minister for Justice Jānis Bordāns and Head of the Minister’s Bureau Aldis Bukšs paid an official visit to the Constitutional Court. Photo: Constitutional Court of Latvia.
The meeting was opened by President of the Constitutional Court Ineta Ziemele, who drew attention to the importance of maintaining balance and qualitative dialogue between the branches of the state power. She said that the dialogue with the Minister for Justice was very important, in view of the extensive scope of the functions and competencies granted to the Minister, in performing his duty to work out, organise and coordinate the development policy within the area of justice in Latvia.
During the discussion, the parties turned also to challenges to the State in the area of justice, among others, how to provide incentives to the young students of law for linking their future course of employment with a judge’s career. The parties also turned to the requirements set for the profession of a judge, which, in the future, should meet even higher criteria. Setting of such requirements and regular assessment of judges would strengthen the judicial power in general and also reinforce public trust in those exercising this power. The parties admitted that, in this regard, it was very important that the Council for the Judiciary and the Judicial Qualification Board exercised their competence in full.
As to the reflection of the actions by the judicial power in the public space, the Constitutional Court’s Justices and the Minister shared the opinion that the work on developing active court communication should be continued.
Minister for Justice Jānis Bordāns, among other things, expressed his satisfaction regarding the solemn court hearing organised by the Constitutional Court at the beginning of this year, which was a symbolical closure of the previous and the opening of the new year in the work of the Constitutional Court, in the presence of several highest officials of Latvia. The Minister highlighted both the symbolic and practical relevance of this event, emphasising that this developed uniform understanding of the place and role of the judicial power in the state order of Latvia as a democratic state governed by the rule of law.