This activity envisions a package of measures aimed at carrying out an active information and policy both for the project target groups and for the general public on the Norwegian Finance Mechanism 2014-2021, the implementation, impact and results of the support from the financial mechanism for the project, as well as on the cooperation with the institutions in Norway.
The planned measures to disseminate information about the project via the Internet include the organization of information venues – press conferences, the elaboration of promotional information materials, as well as the development of a dedicated project website in Bulgarian and English languages, highlighting the assistance of the Norwegian Finance
Press Conference on the project „Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals“
On 14.03.2023 at 11:00 in hall 201 of the National Institute of Justice will be held an Interim Press Conference under the project Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals“.
· 10:30 – 11:00 : Registration;
· Opening remarks: MIGLENA TACHEVA, Director of the National Institute of Justice;
· Welcome address: KRUM ZARKOV, Minister of Justice and keeper of the state seal. Governor of the Programme Operator;
· Successful partnership: IWAR ARNSTAD, Head of the International Secretariat at the Norwegian Courts Administration and institutional partner of the project „Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”;
· Progress achieved: SILVIYA DIMITROVA, Project Leader of „Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals“;
· Discussion.
The NIJ presented a new modern website and 13 training spaces in the judiciary, built up and equipped with the financial assistance of the NFM
“Over the past 2-years, together, we have overcome many challenges that we faced for the first time; we had to be bold and innovate in project implementation – in a short timeframe, without prior clarity on the immediate impact, but with faith in the ultimate success.”
With these words, the NIJ Director Ms. Miglena Tacheva opened the press conference dedicated to the results achieved under the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistratres and other legal professionals”, implemented with the support of the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. The event took place on 14 March 2023 in Hall 201 of the National Institute of Justice.
Ms. Tacheva emphasized on the cooperation with the Ministry of Justice as Programme Operator of the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and highlighted the commitment and the support of the Minister of Justice, Mr. Krum Zarkov, for the realization of the ambitious goals of the project.
Mr. Krum Zarkov, Minister of Justice and keeper of the state seal who is also Governor of the Programme Operator of the Justice Programme, made opening remarks at the conference. 45 representatives of the professional community – judges, prosecutors, court officials and experts took part in the public event.
The institutional partner of the project, the Norwegian Courts Administration, was represented by the Head of the Secretariat, Ivar Arnstad, who stated that “we all have something to learn from each other” and noted the high level of professionalism in the implementation of the project as a key factor in achieving the objectives of the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
The Chairperson of the Plovdiv Court of Appeal, Ms. Magdalina Ivanova and the prosecutors Nina Velichkova and Radoslav Lazarov from the Varna District Prosecutor’s Office joined the press conference online, directly from the respective shared training spaces, equipped under the project. “Since the beginning this year, we have been actively using the equipped court room # 215 to organize experience-sharing activities and professional discussions” said Judge Ivanova.
The projects launched by the Institute in 2020 are worth a total of BGN 3 324 911 and are aimed at creating a modern learning environment in which the standards of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights can be applied – through training, provision of learning resources and integration of best practices. As part of its efforts to modernize the learning environment for the Bulgarian judiciary, the NIJ reported the completion of the 13 shared training spaces built and equipped across the country and the training activities planned in them; the effectively functioning Forum on Human Rights as a full-fledged tool for planning the Institute’s overall training activity; the maintenance and upgrading of the online platform “Judicial Ethics”; the development of training resources for the different levels of the judiciary, in line with the judicial training standards adopted by the NIJ Management Board in 2022.
One of the achievements under the project, a new modern and interactive NIJ website, was officially launched on the day of the press conference.
NIJ Forum on Human Rights
The NIJ project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, funded under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism (NFM) 2014-2021, envisages strengthening and upgrading the Human Rights Forum, established by the Supreme Judicial Council during the previous NFM programming period, as a sustainable platform for information exchange and expert support in the field of fundamental rights protection.
The Human Rights Forum is an effective and sustainable tool for planning the overall training activities of the Institute in line with the fundamental rights. The NIJ Forum functions through established communities that are assigned specific tasks in the field of the rule of law, ethics and professional conduct, justice for children, protection of fundamental rights and various aspects of law enforcement.
The following professional communities have been established within the Forum on Human Rights:
– Judicial ethics and professional conduct;
– Justice for children;
– Protection of human rights in civil, criminal and administrative law context.
The Human Rights Forum also hosts a group for the development of structured training content of self-learning resources (manuals, guides and handbooks) to support the planning and implementation of the NIJ training activities.
The Forum communities are built on a multi-professional basis and include magistrates, employees from institutions with relevant competences, NGO representatives and other professionals with in-depth knowledge and experience.
The main function of the human rights protection communities is related to planning the NIJ training activities in accordance with the fundamental standards for human rights protection and information exchange.
As of 10.03.2023, the Forum members amounted to 126.
Study visit to the European Court of Human Rights
Under the NIJ project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, funded under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism2014-2021, a visit to the European Court of Human Rights was organised for 10 representatives of the Human Rights Forum, established under Activity 4 of the project, in the period 10-13 April 2023. The programme of the study visit is developed with the assistance and support of Judge Yonko Grozev from the European Court of Human Rights.
Trainings with international expertsfor the enhancement of the skills and competences in implementing fundamental rights
Under the NIJ project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, funded under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism2014-2021, a series of trainings with international experts will be organized in June 2023, to enhance the skills and competences of the professional community in the implementation of fundamental rights:
With the assistance of the Norwegian Courts Administration, judge Torolv Groseth will conduct a practical workshop for Bulgarian magistrates on the reasoning on judicial acts, in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights in the context of Article 10 of the ECHR (freedom of expression).
The Bulgarian Judge at the European Court of Human Rights, Yonko Grozev, together with two other judges from the ECtHR, will provide training on the application of the European Convention on Human Rights. Bulgarian magistrates, members of the Human Rights Forum, will also take part in the training programme.
The international expert on judicial ethics and author of the manual for judicial trainers, “Judicial Conduct and Ethics”, Jeremy Cooper will conduct a practical training on the manual, which is due to be translated into Bulgarian under the project “Modern learning environment for judges, procsecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”.
Shared learning spaces for the judiciary
In 2022, 13 shared learning spaces were established and equipped for the judiciary, under the NIJ project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals“, funded under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
The shared learning spaces are an innovative tool for delivering learning in working environment that contributes to the development of professional skills and competences in the judiciary.
In 2023, we plan to organize training sessions in the shared spaces that will be fully funded from the budget of the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals“.
The NIJ Justice for Children Community is developing a self-learning course on juvenile rights in the criminal justice process
In connection with the amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, promulgated in the State Gazette No. 48/02.06.2023, and the change in the regulation on criminal justice for minors introduced by them (in force from 01.09.2023). ), the Justice for Children Community of the National Institute of Justice is developing a self-learning course focused on the rights of minors involved in criminal proceedings, with the goal to meet the needs for specialized training in this field, of judges, prosecutors and investigators.
In addition to the self-learning resource, the National Institute of Justice is preparing a series of training activities to ensure the training of law enforcement bodies in the field of children’s rights, which will be conducted in the period October – December 2023.
The self-learning course will be available on the e-Learning Portal of the NIj from 1 September 2023, and upon successful completion the participants will receive an automatically generated certificate.
23 judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates took part in the training for trainers on “Judicial Ethics and Integrity”
On 20 and 21 June 2023, the National Institute of Justice held a training for trainers on “Judicial Ethics and Integrity”, which was attended by 23 members of professional ethics commissions of the judiciary.
The teaching team included Mr. Jeremy Cooper, author of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Manual for Trainers on Judicial Conduct and Ethics, and Rositsa Toncheva, judge at the Varna Court of Appeal. In their presentations the trainers focused on the universal principles of judicial ethics, professional integrity, judicial case law in relation to the Code of Ethical Conduct for Bulgarian Magistrates.
The training was organized under the NIJ project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, implemented with the support of the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
The in-depth approach to civil, criminal and administrative legal aspects of the application of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights has sparked the interest of the professional community in a training organized by the NIJ
On June 29, 2023 in Sofia, at the Grand Hotel Astoria, the National Institute of Justice held a face-to-face meeting of lecturers and participants, in the blended training on “Civil, Criminal and Administrative Aspects of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights”.
The topic was thoroughly and consistently discussed by the NIJ judicial trainers judge Iliana Papazova, Supreme Court of Cassation, judge Donka Chakurova, Supreme Administrative Court and judge Lada Paunova, Supreme Court of Cassation. The aim of the training was to present the civil, criminal and administrative legal dimensions of Article 8 of the ECHR. The combination of electronic and face-to-face training format contributed to the full understanding of the wide-ranging right to respect for private and family life in the context of Bulgarian and European practices.
Opportunities for direct communication with the lecturers within the provided virtual classrooms and the in-person meeting supported the process of improving the participants’ knowledge and skills for analytical reading and confident jurisprudence in line with the European legal tradition. The training was organized under the NIJ project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, supported by the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
49 Legal professionals took part in the Second Session of the NIJ Forum on Human Rights
“Integrity is the cornerstone of any ethical relationship. Judges, prosecutors and lawyers shall all possess unwavering integrity of professional conduct. And not only this. They must also be particularly careful in their private lives. Observance of the highest standards of professionalism and refraining from any action that might compromise their integrity or cast doubt on their impartiality is key to the public interest.”
With these words, the NIJ Director Miglena Tacheva opened the Second session of the Human Rights Forum, dedicated to professional ethics and ethical challenges, which brought together 49 judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and representatives of the Bar Association.
The discussions among the participants focused on the principles of judicial ethics, collegiality and communication, international standards of professional conduct and integrity, as well as trust between representatives of the judiciary and the Bar. Panelists in the different parts of the Forum were Judge Rieke Lassen from the Oslo District Court, members of the Judicial Ethics Community Judge Angelina Lazarova, Junior Judge Kalina Stancheva, Junior Judge Radoslav Angelov, Junior Prosecutor Georgi Kodjanikolov, Prosecutor Sava Petrov, attorney Eli Hristova, attorney Penka Hristova, while the moderator of the event was Judge Rositsa Toncheva.
The online platform „Judicial Ethics“ and the CEELI Institute’s Handbook on the Independence, Impartiality and Integrity of the Justice System, translated with the financial support of the Embassy of the United States of America, were presented during the event. The forum was held within the framework of the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors and investigators and other members of the professional community”, funded by the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
Training “Protection of the financial interests of the European Union. Criminal offences. Functions of OLAF. European Public Prosecutor’s Office”
organized by the National Institute of Justice
On 26 and 27 October 2023 in Sofia, the National Institute of Justice will hold a training on the subject: “Protection of the financial interests of the European Union. Criminal offences. Functions of OLAF. European Public Prosecutor’s Office”, addressed to an audience of judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, with the trainers: Plamen Datsov, judge at the Sofia Court of Appeal, and Bozhidar Dzhambazov, prosecutor at the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office.
The training is entirely practically oriented, and the curriculum will focus on the criminal law framework for the protection of the financial interests of the European Union, the current case law, as well as the powers of the European and national authorities in terms of countering crimes related to EU funds.
The training is organized under the NIJ project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, implemented with the financial support of the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. Travel expenses (travel, per diem and hotel accommodation) are covered by the project.
Applications shall be submitted by 16 October 2023 via the ISUPO system, available at isupo.nij.bg.
Contact person. Dilyana Petrovska, senior expert, email: d.petrovska@nij.bg; phone: 02 9359 007.
Specialized training for judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates
on current criminal justice issues for children
In connection with the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, promulgated in the State Gazette No. 48/02.06.2023, effective from 01.09.2023, the National Institute of Justice developed a self-study course “Introduction to Justice for Children. Current criminal law aspects”, focusing on the rights of minors involved in criminal proceedings. The training was developed by experts from the Justice for Children community and aims at meeting the needs for specialized training of judges, prosecutors and investigators in this field.
The training is a certification course and is published on the Institute’s e-learning portal, under the section: “Self-Study” (https://e-learning.nij.bg/course/view.php?id=1303). Judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates, and other legal rofessionals who are interested in the materials can take part in the course by logging into their personal Portal account and selecting “Enroll Me” from here.
The training ends with a test, upon successful completion of which the participant obtains a certificate.
The course is developed under the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, implemented with the financial support of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
More information about the training can be found in the short introductory film or by contacting the contact person: Yanislava Andreeva, y.andreeva@nij.bg, phone. 02 9359 162
The National Institute of Justice organised a meeting-discussion on preliminary references under Article 267 TFEU
On October 3, 2023 at the Astoria Hotel, Sofia, was held a discussion on “Practical guidelines on preliminary reference under Article 267 TFEU, based on observations of Bulgarian cases heard in Luxembourg” . The event is part of a training, funded under the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, implemented with the financial support of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 that will take place in the period 3-10.10.2023.
The participants discussed the nature of preliminary reference as a dialogue between judges, the topics and characteristics of Bulgarian preliminary references, the preliminary reference procedure, the types of preliminary reference, the consequences of preliminary reference and the responsibility of the national judge to ensure compliance with the principle of primacy of EU law.
The moderators were Judge Donka Chakurova from the Supreme Administrative Court and Ms Tsvetelina Georgieva from the Legal Service of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium. The discussion was attended by 22 legal professionals, including judges from the regional, district, administrative courts and the Supreme Administrative Court.
This meeting was the initial part of topical training that will continue on the NIJ e-learning portal. It will focus on forum discussions of cases from different legal fields.
The Dutch documentary “The Voice of the Child” was presented to the community “Justice for Children”
On 12.12.2023, in Hall 201 of the National Institute of Justice, the Community “Justice for Children” held a meeting on the occasion of the project “The Voice of the Child”, implemented by the Training and Study Center for the Judiciary in the Netherlands, the Belgium Judicial Training Institute, the Italian School for the Judiciary and the Bulgarian National Institute of Justice. The project is funded under the European Commission’s Justice Programme for the period 2024-2026.
The film “The Voice of the Child”, which displays the real-time work of several Dutch judges dealing with cases affecting the rights of children in cases of parental conflict, was presented at the meeting. Besides the parents, it also features the children who have experienced their parents’ separation and the judges who, responsible and committed, seek solutions for the best interest of the child.
The film provoked a lively discussion on the skills and competencies that judges need to work with children. The film’s producer Pieter Fleury spoke about the film production challenges and the support of the Dutch judiciary in its realization. The participants discussed a vast range of possibilities for cooperation, in relation with the participation of Bulgarian judges in the production of a local film under the project.
Upcoming trainings on “Recent Changes in Company Law”
The National Institute of Justice organizes trainings for judges handling commercial cases in connection with the amendments to the Commercial Law, promulgated in issue 66 of the State Gazette dated 01.08.2023. The curriculum of the upcoming trainings will include topics related to the establishment of companies with variable capital (CVC), the application of the rules for conversion in case of participation of a CVC, the enforcement on a company share – Article 516a of the Civil Procedure Code, etc.
Judge Bistra Nikolova – Deputy Chairman and Head of the Commercial Division of the Sofia Court of Appeal and Alexander Katsarsky – lecturer at the Faculty of Law of Sofia University “St. Kliment of Ochridski”, member of the working group that drafted the amendments to the law will be the trainers of the seminar.
The first planned training will take place in the period 22 – 23 February 2024 in Sofia. Judges wishing to take part in the training shall submit an application by 14 February 2024 through the ISUPO system, available at www.isupo,nij.bg
Contact person: Nina Dimova, program coordinator, phone: 02 9359 143, e-mail: n.dimova@nij.bg
Upcoming trainings on “Recent Changes in Company Law”
The National Institute of Justice organizes trainings for judges handling commercial cases in connection with the amendments to the Commercial Law, promulgated in issue 66 of the State Gazette dated 01.08.2023. The curriculum of the upcoming trainings will include topics related to the establishment of companies with variable capital (CVC), the application of the rules for conversion in case of participation of a CVC, the enforcement on a company share – Article 516a of the Civil Procedure Code, etc.
Judge Bistra Nikolova – Deputy Chairman and Head of the Commercial Division of the Sofia Court of Appeal and Alexander Katsarsky – lecturer at the Faculty of Law of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, member of the working group that drafted the amendments to the law will be the trainers of the seminar.
The second planned training will take place in the period 27 – 28 March 2024 in Sofia. Judges wishing to take part in the training shall submit an application by 19 March 2024 through the ISUPO system, available at www.isupo,nij.bg
Contact person: Emil Georgiev, senior expert, phone: 02 9359 103, e-mail: e.georgiev@nij.bg
The self-learning resources “Administrative Judge’s Guide – General and Special Part (Book One)” and “Investigator’s Guide” are published in the E-learning Portal of the National Institute of Justice
Within the framework of the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other leagl professionals”, funded by the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021, teams of judicial trainers developed the series “Knowledge is Power” – 10 teaching aids that systematically and thoroughly develop the judicial training standards with practical content as a transition from knowledge to skills and competences.
Since today, the first two editions of the series, “Administrative Judge’s Guide – General and Special Part (Book One)” and “Investigator’s Guide”, are available on the NIJ E-Learning Portal.
After printing out the two editions, all Bulgarian magistrates will receive copies of the publications relevant to their professional role (judge, prosecutor, investigating magistrate)
The self-learning resources “Personal and Organizational Development. Non-Legal Skills” and “Criminal Trial Chamber. General Guidelines” are published in the e-learning portal of the NIJ
The next two editions of the series “Knowledge is Power” are available from today on the e-Learning Portal of the NIJ: “Personal and Organizational Development. Non-Legal Skills” and “Criminal Trial Chamber Guide. General Handbook. In the coming weeks, the next two volumes, “Criminal Trial Chamber Handbook. Proceedings at first instance” and “Guide to the Criminal Trial Chamber. Appeal proceedings” are pending publication.
After the printing of the book editions, all Bulgarian magistrates will receive copies of the titles relevant to their professional role (judge, prosecutor, investigating magistrate).
The publications are compiled and will be printed under the project “Modern Learning Environment for Judges, Prosecutors, Investiging magistrates and other legal professionals”, funded under the Justice Programme 2014-2021 of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
Topical issues of European competition law and their importance for the Bulgarian legal order – an NIJ training in cooperation with the Bulgarian Competition Law Association
On 28.03.2024 the Director of the National Institute of Justice, Miglena Tacheva and Dr. Ekaterina Ruseva, Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian Competition Law Association (BCLA), signed a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at improving the professional training of judges in the field of competition law.
On the same day the first joint initiative was launched – training for judges and lawyers on current issues of European competition law and their relevance in the Bulgarian legal order. Dr. Ekaterina Rousseva, Attorney Tsvetelina Georgieva and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Stoynev, members of the Association took part as judicial trainers. A lively discussion was sparked by issues related to the determination of the minimum amounts of lawyers’ fees by the professional organizations of lawyers in the EU Member States: legal implications and liability according to the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, as well as the application of state aid legislation by national courts.
An in-depth analysis of the CJEU’s judgment in case C-438/22 Em akaunt and the case law preceding it was presented. The discussion focused on the question when professional organisations, such as the one of lawyers in Bulgaria, constitute an association of undertakings and as such fall within the scope of the competition rules.
The training is organized under the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, funded by the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
The National Institute of Justice held the Third Session of the Human Rights Forum and Closing Press Conference on the projects it implements, funded under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014 -2021
On 5 April 2024 at the Astoria Grand Hotel, the National Institute of Justice held the third edition of the Human Rights Forum under the motto “From Knowledge to Skills”.
“It is not enough to acquire knowledge, you have to find an application for it”. With these words of Goethe, the Director of the Institute, Miglena Tacheva, opened the forum and outlined the road traveled to build a culture of judicial training based on the formation and development of knowledge, skills and competencies at all levels in the judiciary. “The practical manuals developed under the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals” are a key step in a complex process of modernising judicial training and introducing a competency-based approach.” Today, we present “10 ready-made manuals for all levels of the judiciary, which will be published in electronic format and on paper in 14 books by 30 November 2024. 7 scientific editors and 96 authors – judicial trainers, judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and experts – have joined this ambitious project. Over 10,000 pages of written material was produced in less than 1 year.”
The Deputy Minister of Justice Ms. Yulia Kovacheva expressed her firm belief that the developed resources will ensure the sustainability of the project results and will contribute to the full deployment of the training activities.
Her words were supported by the representative of the Norwegian Courts Administration, Ms. Nieke van de Berg, who highly appreciated the work of the Institute and the excellent cooperation between the two institutions.
Judge Rositsa Toncheva from the Varna Court of Appeal, one of the authors of the manual on non-legal skills, stressed the importance of issues related to judicial management, organizational efficiency and judicial accountability for the protection of the rule of law.
Mr. Rumen Nenkov, scientific editor of three manuals in criminal cases for judges , emphasized the role of the National Institute of Justice as a “pillar of judicial reform” whose main goal is “training and enlightenment.”
Prof. Dr. Plamen Panayotov, scientific editor of the manual on criminal substantive law for judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates, emphasized the contribution of all authors, their dedication and commitment to the process.
Mr. Blagovest Punev, scientific editor of the textbooks for civil law judges, emphasized the impressive volume of theoretical and practical information synthesized in the resources under his supervision.
Judge Yulia Raeva of the Supreme Administrative Court, one of the authors of the Guide to the Activity of the Administrative Judge, spoke about the fruitful cooperation in the working process.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Salkova, scientific editor of Criminal Procedure Law for Prosecutors noted that “beyond any doubt, these manuals will be useful to the entire legal community.”
Investigator Rumyana Tozova from the National Investigation Service who participated in the authors’ team of the Investigator’s Guide presented highlights of the joint work with the scientific editor Prof. Dr. Vesselin Vuchkov.
The Norwegian judge Jussi Pederson, provided a brief overview of training resources in Norway, focusing on 3 main characteristics: concise, accessible and practice-oriented.
At the end of the forum, the leaders of the two projects, implemented by NIJ and funded under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014 – 2021 – Silviya Dimitrova and Svetla Valeva, presented the results of their implementation.
The project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrataes and other legal professionals” presented a short film summarizing the achievements: 2215 participants, 48 trainings; Human Rights Forum with 3 communities (justice for children, judicial ethics; protection of fundamental rights); 13 functioning shared learning spaces; elaborated modern NIJ website; 2 training resources translated and 10 manuals produced. These are just some of the results marking the transition from knowledge to skills.
The head of the project “Prevention and Counteraction of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence” presented the findings of the trainings on current issues of domestic and gender-based violence in complementary training formats; focused on the pilot implementation of HELP’s e-learning course on “Violence against Women and Domestic Violence”; the organized public discussion focused on the implementation of the specialized public impact programs aimed at perpetrators of domestic violence and the possibilities of the probation. 625 participants have been trained under the project, exceeding almost twice the target of 300 trainees. An important highlight of the project results is the fruitful interaction and support received from the Synergy Network”.
Thanks were expressed to the Ministry of Justice as Programme Operator, the Norwegian Courts Administration, the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, the Norwegian Correctional Service, the scientific editors and the judicial trainers – judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates, experts, as well as the NIJ team.
New self-learning resources have been published on the NIJ e-learning portal
The next two editions of the Knowledge is Power series are available today on the NIJ eLearning Portal: “The criminal trial jury handbook. Proceedings at first instance” and “Manual of criminal trial jury. Guides to appellate proceedings”.
Following the printing of the book editions, all Bulgarian magistrates will receive copies of the titles relevant to their professional role (judge, prosecutor, investigator).
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Fund for Bilateral Relations under the Justice Programme of the NFM 2014-2021
The National Institute of Justice finished a bilateral initiative under the NFM with a digital publication of a collection of presentations and materials on the topic “Judges under Stress in Europe”
The National Institute of Justice completed the project “Judges under Stress in Europe”, implemented in partnership with the Norwegian Courts Administration and funded by the Fund for Bilateral Relations under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
Within the initiative, an international conference was held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on the topic “Judges under Stress in Europe”, which was attended by 87 judges, experts and judicial officials from Bulgaria, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Croatia. The aim of the event was to provide the participants with increased knowledge on the tools to avoid and resist pressure against the judiciary.
Following the conference, the initiative’s partner, the Norwegian Courts Administration, in cooperation with the University of Oslo, produced a compendium of presentations and materials exchanged during the event.
The original presentations from the conference held in April 2024, made available to the Institute courtesy of the Norwegian Courts Administration, have been published in the „Digiral Library“ section of the NIJ e-Learning Portal.
Face-to-face training on 18 March on “Judges and prosecutors as leaders and public figures”
On 18 March 2025, the National Institute of Justice is organizing a face-to-face training in Sofia, on “Judges and Prosecutors as Leaders and Public Figures”, addressing the administrative heads of the judiciary. The curriculum will focus on the communication and the ethical aspects of management and will be tailored to the specificity and professional experience of the audience.
The training team includes Mr. Mark Segal, an attorney from Philadelphia, a foreign expert with many years of experience in the field of legislative and judicial reforms, including in conducting trainings in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America, as well as Ms. Katya Dormisheva, a judicial trainer with internationally recognized expertise in the administration of justice and human resource management in judicial systems in the region.
The training will take place within the framework of the “Judiciary Leadership Development Initiative and Training of Justice Professionals”, funded by the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
Translation from/into English is provided at the event.
Prospective participants should submit an application.
Deadline: by 7 March 2025
The application can be submitted through the ISUPO system, available at isupo.nij.bg.
Contact person: Ani Parmaksizian, Programme Coordinator, tel.: 02 9359 188, e-mail: a.parmaksizian@nij.bg
Training on “Cybercrimes”
On March 13, 2025, the National Institute of Justice is organizing a face-to-face training in Sofia on “Cybercrimes”, targeting judges, handling criminal cases; prosecutors and investigating magistrates.
The training team, composed of international and Bulgarian experts, will present an overview of the current Internet crimes, effective ways of cybercrimes investigation, the role of international cooperation and the use of electronic evidence; incl. practical tools for successful cooperation between investigating bodies and prosecutors, ensuring the professional performance of prosecutors and judges in the criminal process.
The training will take place within the framework of the “Judicial Leadership Development Initiative and Training of Judicial Professionals”, funded by the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
Translation from/into English is provided at the event.
Those wishing to participate should apply by 4 March 2025 here.
Contact person: Nivelina Gyaurova, Programme Coordinator,
Phone.: 02 9359 117, e-mail: n.gyaurova@nij.bg
The NIJ organized training venue on current practices in cybercrime detection and investigation
On March 13, 2025, amid increased interest, the National Institute of Justice held a Cybercrime Hybrid Training, in which took part 45 judges, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates.
The training team was composed of Jernej Ostruh, prosecutor from the District State Prosecutor’s Office in Selje, Slovenia and Dr. Svetoslav Vassilev, Head of the Cybercrime Unit at the National Investigation Service.
During the training, a detailed overview of the types of cybercrimes and their characteristics was made, effective means for their investigation were discussed, and successful strategies for the detection of specific crimes with an international element were introduced. Emphasis was placed on the use of electronic evidence, the need for timely action by investigative authorities and the role of international cooperation.
The training took place within the framework of the “Judicial Leadership Development Initiative and Training of Justice Professionals”, financed by the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
National Institute of Justice held a training on “Judges and Prosecutors as Leaders and Public Figures”
On 18 March 2025, the National Institute of Justice held a training on “Judges and Prosecutors as Leaders and Public Figures”, which was attended by 27 chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of judicial authorities from across the country. The training programme covered the topics of “leadership”, “ethics” and “public image”, examining their collective impact and importance for the functioning of the judiciary as a guarantor of the rule of law and the protection of human rights.
The lecturers in the training were Mr. Mark Segal, a lawyer from Philadelphia, a renowned expert in the field of legislative and judicial reforms, including in conducting trainings in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America, as well as Ms. Katya Dormisheva, a lawyer from the SAC, with many years of expertise in European projects in the field of judicial training and institutional capacity building.
The training took place within the framework of a pre-defined “Judicial Leadership Development Initiative and Training of Justice Professionals”, financed by the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
The self-learning resource “Guide of the Administrative Judge – General and Special Provisions. Book Two” has been published on the E-learning Portal of the NIJ
Starting today, the next self-learning resource of the series “Knowledge is Power” – “Guide of the Administrative Judge – General and Special Provisions”. Book Two” is available on the NIJ E-Learning Portal.
The self-learning resource was developed in the framework of the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, Contract № BGJUSTICE-2.001-0001-C01/07.04. 2020, implemented with the financial support of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021, and is published in the framework of the initiative “Enhancing self-learning culture of justice professionals”, financed under the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
In April 2025, the self-learning resources, “Guide of Criminal Court Panel. Proceedings before the first instance. Book Two”, “Guide of Civil Court Panel. Book Three” and “CriminalSubstantive Law for judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates.
Book Four”. After the printing of the paper editions, all Bulgarian magistrates will receive copies of the titles relevant to their professional role (judge, prosecutor, investigating magistrate).
Discussion on “Leadership in the Judiciary”
On March 27, 2025, in Hall 201 of the National Institute of Justice, a discussion on “Leadership in the Judiciary” will be held, organized within the framework of the “Judiciary Leadership Development Initiative and Training of Justice Professionals”, financed by the Fund for Bilateral Relations under the Justice Programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
The event will present a survey on the best practices for training judicial leaders in the European Judicial Training Network and in the Network member institutions. Judge Andreas Cederkvist, President of Telemark District Court, Norway, will share his professional experience on the challenges before the administrative leaders of Norwegian courts.
Translation from/into English is provided at the event, as well as the opportunity to participate online via ZOOM.
Those wishing to take part should submit an application by 24 March 2025 via the ISUPO system available at www.isupo.nij.bg.
You may obtain more information AGENDA
Contact persons: Nina Dimova, Program Coordinator, phone: 02 9359 143; e-mail: n.dimova@nij.bg and Ralitsa Ruseva, Program Coordinator, phone: 02 9359 128, e-mail: ruseva@nij.bg.
Artificial intelligence as a strategic instrument
in the judicial system
On 24 March 2025, the National Institute of Justice held face-to-face training on “Artificial intelligence as a strategic instrument in the judicial system“, which was attended by 41 judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates.
The training team included Meelis Eerik – judge at Harju County Court, Tallinn and lecturer at the School of Government, Law and Society, Tallinn University, Estonia and Marieta Nedelcheva – judge at Sofia District Court and national point of contact for the National Judicial Network for International Cooperation in Criminal Matters.
In the course of the training, the speakers made a detailed overview of the technical aspects of artificial intelligence in the courtroom. The introductory lecture covered the philosophy, terminology and basic concepts of artificial intelligence, such as BlackBox, AI machine learning and “deep learning”. A parallel was drawn between the present and the future of AI in the judiciary, focusing on some myths and dangers. In the conclusive part, practical aspects of artificial intelligence in criminal procedures were presented.
The event took place within the framework of the “Judiciary Leadership Development Initiative and Training of Justice Professionals”, funded by the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
Discussion “Leadership in the Judicial System”
Over 50 administrative heads in the judiciary, judges, prosecutors and judicial trainers were part of the discussion “Leadership in the Judicial System”, which the National Institute of Justice, in cooperation with the Norwegian Courts Administration, organized in the framework of the “Judiciary leadership development initiative and training of justice professionals”, funded under the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
“The discussion is extremely important for us, as it reflects our aspiration to create an Academy for Judicial Leaders as a permanent horizontal policy in the activities of the Institute during the upcoming programming period of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism” – emphasized Silvia Dimitrova, Deputy Director of the NIP and leader of the Initiative.
Nieke van de Berg, representative of the Norwegian Courts Administration, focused on the successful cooperation with the National Institute of Justice and expressed confidence that the joint work will continue.
Judge Andreas Cederkvist, President of Telemark County Court, Norway, shared his professional experience on the challenges before the administrative heads of the Norwegian courts.
Elena Ruskova and Dorina Hristova from the National Institute of Justice presented the results of a pilot study on best practices for training judicial leaders in the European Judicial Training Network as well as in a number of countries outside the European Union.
In the afternoon session, Judge Rositsa Toncheva from the Varna Court of Appeal emphasized on the importance of training as instrument for strengthening leadership skills. Antonia Krasteva presented the expert’s point of view on the role of the leader.
The self-learning resources “Substantive criminal law. A guide for judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates. Book Four” and “Guide of civil court panel. Book Three” are published on the e-learning portal of the NIJ
The next two self-learning resources in the “Knowledge is Power” series – “Substantive Criminal Law. A guide for judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates. Book Four” and ” Guide of civil court panel. Book Three” are available on the NIJ E-learning portal.
The self-learning resources were developed in the framework of the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, Contract № BGJUSTICE-2.001-0001-C01/07.04. 2020, implemented with the financial support of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021, and are published in the framework of the initiative “Enhancing self-learning culture of justice professionals”, financed under the Bilateral Fund of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
The self-learning resource, “Guide of criminal court panel. Proceedings before the first instance. Volume two” has been published on the e-Learning portal of the NIJ
As of today, the last self-learning resource published in the “Knowledge is Power” series, “Guide of criminal court panel. Proceedings before the first instance. Book Two” can be accessed via the e-Learning Portal of the NIJ.
The resource was developed in the framework of the project “Modern learning environment for judges, prosecutors, investigating magistrates and other legal professionals”, Contract № BGJUSTICE-2.001-0001-C01/07.04. 2020, implemented with the financial support of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021, and is published within the framework of the initiative “Enhancing self-learning culture of justice professionals”, financed under the Fund for Bilateral Relations of the Justice Programme, Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
