Report from the study visit in Bulgaria Organized by the Kosovo Judicial Institute in cooperation with the National Justice Institute in Bulgaria

During May 18 through 29, a group of officials consisting of judges, prosecutors, judicial trainers, officials of the Kosovo Judicial Council and of the Prosecutorial Council, as well as court administrators conducted a study visit within the internship – exchange program in various institutions of judiciary and prosecution in Bulgaria. This study visit was organized by the Judicial Institute of Kosovo and of Bulgaria and the EU Project “Further Support to Legal Education Reform in Kosovo”. During this visit members of the group had the opportunity to acquaint with the work of main judicial and prosecutorial institutions of Bulgaria.

In the first week, meetings of interest were at the National Judicial Institute of Bulgaria, Supreme Judicial Council, the Supreme Cassation Court, State Prosecution, Judicial Inspectorate, Ministry of Justice, Supreme Administrative Court and the Law Faculty of University of Sofia. In these meetings the group received explanation on activity of these bodies, results, problems, working methods and challenges they face actually. During entire visit Kosovo delegation raised questions and interest to receive explanations and valuable experiences from all these institutions through their senior representatives.

In the second week, the group divided in three sub-groups where they separately visited the District Court in Plovdiv, the Disrtict Court in Stara Pazova and the District Court in Veliko Ternovo. In meetings in courts, the judges’ prosecutors and officials of the groups received knowledge and useful experiences by bodies, units, judges, prosecutors and Bulgarian officials in these courts. Meetings mainly had detailed presentation of the work of each body, segment of the court and their units with orientation on training that came from the interest and needs or questions of the Kosovo officials.

The main event was singing of the Memorandum of Cooperation on 21st of May 2015 in the Justice Palace of Bulgaria, between the Kosovo Judicial Institute and the National Justice Institute of Bulgaria. This memorandum was signed by the Director of Kosovo Judicial Institute, Mr. Lavdim Krasniqi and Director of Bulgaria Justice Institute Mr. Dragomir Yordanov.

This visit will empower and extend areas of cooperation between two training institutions that serve to increase capacities of judiciary and prosecution of both countries.