The justice projects are financed through an agreement of approximately 35.3 million euro, signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Norway and Bulgaria within the framework of the EEA funds.
The main aim of the NCA is to contribute to the projects by sharing our experience.
There are three different Bulgarian entities that the NCA assist in implementing the projects, namely,The Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Bulgaria, which are the counterparts of the NCA in Bulgaria. The institution responsible for the initial and continuous education of judiciary in Bulgaria - National Institute of Justice and a NGO that facilitates legal aid for vulnerable groups.
The project implemented the Bulgarian Supreme Judicial Council concentrates on increasing both the effectiveness of Bulgarian courts and protection of human rights. It is planned to:
- Improve the rules for appointment, selection and career development of magistrates with a focus on professional and personal qualities;
- Strengthen capacity in application of the European Convention on Human Rights;
- Improve the restorative justice mechanism through capacity/knowledge - and building on the best practices from Norway.
Together with the National Institute of Justice the project strenghtens professional knowledge and skills of judiciary in Bulgaria and contribute to the modernization of the legal environment by:
- Delivering trainings on a set of topics related to the European Convention on Human Rights:
development of self-learning ressources; - Strenghtening the existing platform (Human Rights Forum) where judges can share with their colleagues the latest practice in their fields.
Lastly, the third project, "Increased legal access for vulnerable groups" will contribute to improving the acces to justice to victims of domestic violence, vulnerable children and Romani people.