newsitems

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Experienced EuroPolitician,  long-time mainstream MEP at CoE's PanEuropean Asembly in Strasbourg, Chair of PACE's Human Rights Committee,  the  President of the Nordic Council of Ministers,  Kimmo Sassi from Finland, (ChristianDemocrat/EPP), speaking to "EuroFora", stressed that Scandinavian Countries' traditional attachement to Transparency becomes very Topical today, as a means to address the current so-called "Crisis of Parliamentarianism", as well as in order to Fight against Corruption, while Norway will take over the preparation of CoE's National Parliament's Presidents' Summit in Oslo on 2014.

 - In  Nordic Countries it's functioning quite well, as well as Rue of Law, since in Scandinavia we are following Laws even in sensitive, very carefully dealt matters, President Sassi stressed from the outset.

 - In particular, - "Transparency is very much developed in Nordic Countries", swhere "We have a relevant Swedish Law since about the 1730ies" : Indeed, "Sweden was the 1st Country to start guaranteeing Transparency" (of Public Administration, etc), since about 1730", he reminded.

 - "That practically means that, since then, in principle, all Information must be Accessible to the People.  That's the basic Rule".

=> - "Thus, f.ex., Citizens Participation to Elections is quite High, it is  between 60% and 80%, (i.e. much better than in what it was for EU Parliament back on 1999-2005, i.e. during the period of the "Nos" to EuroReferenda, notoriously provoked mainly by Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, etc).... 

    + Even "as far as Environment is concerned, we don't take Decisions only for a week or so. On the contrary, we think about the Future, i.e. not to spoil Nature, so as to ensure taking sustainable, wise decisions, as he said evoking Finland's Presidency's main agenda at the Nordic Council in favor of Climate protection, which is one among the Popular concerns....
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Nordic Council naturally reminds the Ancient "Scandia", the "Scandinavia" of Modern Times, i.e. attempts to bring together the Scandinavian Countries, (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark/Goenland and Iceland, etc), who are not only controlling the strategic Baltic Sea, but provide also EU's outlet towards the Arctic Ocean, of growing both Economic and Ecological value.

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+  - "Democracy is an idea which was originaly developed from the (Ancient) Greek"  socio-political archetype (which notoriously gave a special importance also to "Direct" Participation by all interested Citizens to Public Debates on imminent Decisions affecting the Society), blent "also with the French Revolution"'s input during the "Enlightnement", etc., reminded meanwhile, (during CoE's debate on the question whether Representative Democracy is on Crisis), the President of the Norwegian Parliament ("Stortinget"), Dag Andersen, who is together with Sassi at the Nordic Council.

 

Andersen will chair, from now on, CoE's Bi-Annual, PanEuropean Conference of National Parliament's Presidents, that he will host on September 2014, anounced officialy CoE Assembly's President, French MEP Jean-Claude Mignon, after a selection among various candidate countries, decided at the conclusion of the 2012 event.

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+ CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, (2009-2015) who is also a former Foreign and Prime Minister from Norway, and Chairman of NOBEL Peace Prize Committee, stressed earlier in Strasbourg  on this occasion, (before departing for New York to attend UNO's General Assembly), that the "Question" whether "Representative Democracy was in Crisis", is "very Important and Timely", (apparently agreeing with "EuroFora"s main line of Questioning, during an earlier Press Conference at the CoE on the forthcoming, No 1 "World Democracy Forum", scheduled for the beginning of October in Strasbourg : Comp. previous "EuroFora"s NewsReport on that).

- "There can be No Doubt that we are witnessing a Crisis of Trust", Jagland stressed from the outset. Indeed , "Public Confidence .. is trickling away", he observed, citting f.ex. recent Polls by the EU.

- Because, "Europe is faced with ... an even more Corrosive Threat than ... the (Global) Financial Crisis : A Threat on our Fundamental Values, and the Moral Foundations of the Society" CoE's Secretary General warned.

-Since, "sadly, there are too many cases of Corrupt Poiliticians HIDING behind their Immunity", "from Investigation and Prosecution", which has become in certain cases, (together with "Time Deadlines"),  "a Major Obstacle in the Fight against Corruption", "one of the most Widespread and Sinister Social Evils, ... Detrimental to the Administration of Public Affairs", because it also "Undermines the Trust and Confidence.. necessary for sustainable Economic and social relations". (As, f.ex. in the case of former "Greek" Governments, mainly PASOK, during 30 crucial years : 1981-2011, which provoked the Huge Debt, particularly since the 1999-2001 Deal exchanging Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid with Greece's precocious entry to €uroZone, even before it does the required Reforms, so that a former PASOk Government would snatch the April 2000 Elections : See relevant "EuroFora"s analysis, published  several times since December 2009).

=> "Therefore, Immunity must Not be Unlimited, Nor can it (as well as the "Obstacle" of inflexible "Time Deadlines", as COE's Anti-Corruption watchdog "GRECO" has recently denounced, f.ex. on the occasion of Greece's case) be allowed to Obstruct thec ourse of Justice", COE's Secretary General stressed, expressing, in this regard, his "Support" for "the Recommendations made by .. GRECO, the COE's Group against Corruption", (comp. Supra).

>>> Therefore, Jagland launched a call to "Take Action against the Corrupt Few", in whom "Power corrupted", "so that our Institutions don't suffer the Consequences", he pointed out, adding also to check "Corrupt - sometimes Camouflaged - Political Financing", which "Threatens our Democratic Principles", and "the Spirit of our Parliamentary Democracy".

- To tackle that Risk, States must, in particular, "set up Transparent systems for Party and Election campaign Financing", as well as " a truly Independent Supervisory body", while also "publishing" "Books and Accounts", "in an Accessible and Timely manner", excluding "Anonymous Donations", and/or "too influential, or (even) corrupt Lobbying", which makes "only the Voices of the Powerful and Wealthy" to be "Heard", "presentinng a Rea Danger",  CoE's head pointed out, according to GRECO's well-known and recently reiterated Guidelines.

=> Thus, the Norwegian-origin EuroPolitician and Head of CoE, found, in "the spirit of the (Pan)European Conference of Presidents of Parliament", "a unique Opportunity to Iron out Inconsistencies", .. "that have Fuelled Anger and Distrust among a Wider Public", requiring now to "look at the Future and take Bold Decisions", before the forthcoming next Summit of Parliaments' Presidents at Oslo, on 2014 (comp. Supra).

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Judges' active contribution to the fight against Corruption and to Help Victims of Crimes, certainly is a core part of the "Efficiency and Quality of Justice", that CoE's PanEuropean Organization for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, in cooperation with the EU, is regularly Monitoring, including by a landmark Comparative Study and critical Analysis with Recommendations on Data systematically collected throughout all 47 Member Countries of the Strasbourg-based body, replied in substance, CoE's Director for the Independence and Efficiency of Justice, Stephane Leyenberger, to "EuroFora"s questions, at the eve of the official Publication of the 2012 Report by the "European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice" (ECEJ), on the occasion of a Ministerial Conference in Austria, tomorrow, due to take stock of the current situation and design new orientations on Courts, Prosecutors and Lawyers for the next 2 Years, in an are covering more than 800 Millions Citizens. (See selected CoE's Justice Statistics Infra).
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 - "EuroFora" asked in substance CoE's competent Director to assess the importance  it has today for Justice's Efficiency to help Victims of Crime and/or the Fight against Corruption, (as f.ex., EU recently started to do : See EU Commission vice-President, Viviane Reding's and EU Parliament's Rapporteurs' replies to "EuroFora"s questions last week : ......, and as certain famous Judges did in Italy in the Past, or could and, obviously, should do now in Greece, etc).

+ As well as if some Economies that States are obliged to make today in order to face the Global Financial Crisis, could, eventually, be made in an adequate way, which wouldn't affect Justice Efficiency, (f.ex. thanks to New Technologies, a.o. organisational innovatons, etc), given that the Number and Salaries of Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers doesn't always seem automatically helpful to Justice's Quality, as we observed.

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Anti-Corruption Fight and Help to Victims of Crime = part of Justice's Efficiency + Quality
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    - "Certainly, when we speak about Justice's Quality, if Corruption is a Structural Problem, (in a Country), then it naturally concerns the Efficiency of Justice", Leyenberger positively replied to "EuroFora"s first question.

    - "It's a Delicate issue, that ECEJ didn't yet start to examine, at least for the time being, because it's difficult to measure, and to tackle with our traditional methodology. But this doesn't mean that everything is going well , everywhere, in this regard, far from that...

    - "However, we have, inside the CoE another body, specialized in the Fight against Corruption, the GRECO, which has just started, precisely, a New Stage in its Monitoring Activities, where f.ex. Prosecutors will be at the Focus of CoE's Anti-Corruption watchdog, as he said.

    - "It's true that this matter, about the Fight against Corruption, deserves today to be explored further, and that's what is expected to be done during the next 2 Years, mainly by GRECO, together with our (ECEJ's) input",  as Leyenberger anounced.

    + Concerning Courts' Help to Fight Corruption in a State's Administration, (See "EuroFora"'s main question),- "CoE's Penal Treaty has already asked to Criminalize Corruption as much as possible, and, in this important issue, ECEJ and GRECO naturally have to check that Legislation, and if Courts apply efficiently those Criminal Laws", he observed.

    - "So, there are, indeed, 2 Questions raised in this regard : 1) Risks of Corruption inside a system of Justice itself, (f.ex. if there are attempts to "buy" a Judge's decisions, or the actions of a Prosecutor, of a Registrar, etc), which is a Part of the problem,  and 2) the way that a system of Justice applies the Anti-Corruption Laws", a really Important issue Today, you are absolutey Right", COE's competent Director agreed with "EuroFora".

    => But, for the Judges and Prosecutors to become anew able to play an important role in the Fight against Corruption, as some did in the Past f.ex. in Italy, etc., also now in Greece and other, mainly Central-Eastern European Countries, "this necessiattes also a strong Political support, at first for an adequate Legislation to exist, (f.ex. without Obstacles to Investigations by Tight TIME LIMITS, as PASOK's former Governments had sent in Greece, provoking criticism by various Political Parties, and even GRECO's recent Denonciation, during this Summer 2012), he added.

    - "I'm not a Specialist of this issue, but, (a few years ago) in Italy, there was an Astonishing example, with the "Mani Pulite" ("Clean Hands"), series of Investigations, where it was even a Judge himself who dared brave the beast ("prendre le torreau par les cornes", in the original in French), by his own Initiative", CoE's PanEuropean Top Official reminded, obviously referring to the case of Di Pietro, who is now a MEP in EU Parliament (comp. earlier statements by the famous Italian Liberal MEP to "EuroFora" in relevant previous NewsReports)

    => - "We have to Hope that, Today, something similar might happen anew, f.ex. in Greece and/or other Countries", Leyenberger expressed the wish, wich could easily become very Popular among a large Majority of Greek People, from various Political Origins, obviously revolted, mainly since 2011, by many Years of Corrupted, and/or Irresponsibly abusive and Manipulative Politicians, mainly of former PASOK Governments in the Past 30 years' crucial period of 1981-2011 which notoriously provoked the recently revealed Huge Debt, after a series of first Scandals since the 1980ies, up to and including the 1999-2001 Politico-Financial deal, brokered by former "Socialist" Governments then in Germany, France, Greece, Cyprus,  the UK, Spain, USA, etc., (i.e. - "We close our eyes on Greece's debt in order to enter €uroZone earlier than normal, even before necessary reforms, if Athens closes its eyes on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU-bid", so that a former PASOK Government could snatch April 2000 Elections and stay in power with less than 1%, up to 2004), on which "EuroFora" has alerady published several NewsReports and Analysis, at the latest since December 2009, etc+).

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+ Economies possible with an Efficient Justice
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    - "Concerning your Other Question, on the Ressources, and, f.ex. the Number of Judges, Lawyers, etc., ECEJ's New (2012) Report confirms, indeed, at least one relevant Observation : - It's, indeed, a Fact that Justice is Slower in Countries with a comparatively Bigger Number of Lawyers", the experienced Leyenberger replied to "EuroFora" with a smile..  (Comp. also concrete Data, infra). We didn't yet establish explicitly a Cause to Effect relation, so, at least for the Time being, ECEJ simply observes the Facts : F.ex. those Southern European States which have the biggest  Numbers of Lawyers, in proportion to their Population, are also those where Judicial proceedings Delay too much", as he pointed out.

     - "We (CoE) must really examine that, in order to know whether we can arrive to the conclusions which seem probable, because that's a constant fact, and it should mean something", Leyenberger carefully added,

    + "Now,  is it possible, while making Financial Economies, to continue, however, to ameliorate the efficiency of a Justice system ?", he resumed "EuroFora"s second question,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
    - What is certain, is that, for a Justice system to be able to function properly, it needs 2 things : Political Will and Material Means. . * it's sure that, without the necessary means, it can't go on as it should", he warned .

    - "But it's not, just because one might have a lot of ressourses that, automatiqualy it will start to function properly".. "This is an Important Element, but alone it can't do anything.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
    - "Nevertheless, this cannot be Inverted : It's simply no true that, when a country has important Resources, then, everything  would certainly  go well", the experienced CoE's Official observed.

     -"That is to say, the Budget is an imprtant element, but it's not enough in order to guarantee Justice's Efficiency : F.ex. there are some Countries which Spend More in Justice, but that we find Less Efficient  than others !" , he revealed.

    - "Because, what counts is also  the way that Procedures are organized ; the way that a specific Court works, the Relations between the main Actors in Criminal Proceedings, etc. So, there are also Other, Important Aspects, which play an important role, etc".,  CoE's Top Officer also added.

    - "So that, by adequately "Tuning" those elements, we could be able, even with a Stable Budget, to ameliorate Justice's Efficiency", Leyenberger ambitiously stressed.

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EU/CoE "Crystal Balance"'s initiatives on Justice
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    - "On this occasion, ECEJ organizes, together with EU Commission, an Award called "Crystal Balance" (of Justice), which rewards Positive Initiatives, often set up by Courts themselves, in order to restor and/or ameliorate the way Justice works", he reminded.

    - "In this framework, we see a lot of various, concrete Initiatives, which prove that, sometimes, with a dose of Voluntarism, of Intelligence, and, mainly, with a genuine Concern to serve People well, f.ex. Victims of Crimes, etc., then, Juctice's Efficiency can really be ameliorated", CoE's c ompetent Director optilmistically pointed out.

    - "I can't reveal you the 2012 Winners, who will be anounced on October 25, the European Day for Justice, but I can already tell you that, when the "Crystal Balance"'s jury met last week in Brussels, (bringing together CoE and EU Officials), we studied 38 different Projects, of which about 10 were very Interesting , so that, among the 4 selected for the award, there are, indeed, some very interesting Initiatives, really able to ameliorate the way Justice works, f.ex., an idea to settle, by using Internet, even SMS, the small cases which often overload the Courts, concerning many tiny Debts of only a few Tens or Hundreds of €, i.e. by avoiding Hearings, convocations to appear in front of a Judge, etc., thanks to an adequate use of New Technologies of Information", Leyenberger anounced.

    - "But, naturally, serious Criminal cases, important Commercial affairs, or Civil Law cases where Childrens' and/or Families' fate is at stake, or affect a Person's Financial situation, etc.,  should not avoid a Regular, proper and full Procedure", he warned.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
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ECEJ's 2012 Report's main related Facts :
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ECEJ's 2012 latest Report, which has just been published, reveals, indeed, several interesting Facts related to both these two Questions, (in fact interrelated in real practice), raised by "EuroFora" (comp. Supra) :

     - Almost all CoE's Member State declare that they have a "Free of Charge, Specific System to Inform and Help Victims of Crimes", as well as Special Rules for the "Protection of Vulnerable Persons", concerning mainly Hearings, but also Information, etc., and its' only a few that don't share a Widespread belief (in 40 Countries against 8) that "Prosecutors have a Specific Role  in Protecting the Rights or Assisting the Victims of Crimes", while only 9 disagree with an overwhelming Majority of 34 Countries which recognize Victims' "Right to Dispute a Prosecutor's decision to Discontinue a case", (to which are added another 5 Countries where Prosecutors even can't stop proceedings without a Judge's decision, that Victims of Criem can challenge, f.ex. in Spain, etc).
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    Concerning the "assessment of users' satisfaction" and "Public Confidence" to Justice systems, , ECEJ welcomes a recent trend to make Surveys in most CoE Member Countries, particularly when they are open to all, (f.ex. in Germany, Austria, Russia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, etc), or to  both Courts' Clients and Professionals, (as, f.ex., in the UK, Spain, Ireland, Poland, Norway, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Switzerland, Romania, Hungary, etc), and at least to all Clients of the Courts (f.ex. in France, Finland, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Estonia, etc), but criticizes Restrictions of Surveys only to Professionals (p.ex. in Portugal, etc), particularly when it's only ... the Judges and Prosecutors themselves who are alone to be allowed to asses their own work, (as, f.ex. in Turkey, etc), pinpointing also against those few States which don't even make any Satisfaction survey, (as, f.ex. Bosnia, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Slovakia, Cyprus, Albania, etc). But, here, CoE's Study also "regrets" the fact that Crimes' Victims are not consulted by Governments often enough on Courts' situation ....
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Meanwhile, most Sanctions and/or Disciplinary proceedings vis a vis Judges and/or Prosecutors, throughout CoE's Member Countries, were for "Professional Inadequacy", followed by cases of "Ethics"' violations, and various "Crimes", according  to ECEJ's latest Report.

But, despite CoE's initial Questionaire's demand to give "Special" information in case of Sanctions for "Corruption" among Judges and/or Prosecutors, "taking into account the reports" by CoE's Anti-Corruption Watchdog known as "GRECO", and by NGO "Transparency International", nevertheless, the data provided don't appear yet in the Final ECEJ's 2012 Report, at least for the time being..

 It's only a Few Countries who didn't report any Sanctions at all against Judges, -including f.ex. Iceland, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Cyprus, which has no more to show also on Prosecutors, despite ECHR's condemnations and strong criticism in Society in cases such as the Death of a Foreign Young Girl just after she denounced her Employer's alleged attempt to oblige her to submit to Prostitution in his Bar (Rantseva affair), the refusal to protect some poor Ukranian Sailors suddenly abandoned without warning by a Foreign Ship Owner without even paying their salaries, criticized  refusals to initiate criminal proceedings for Inhuman/Degrading Treatments allegedly faced by some persons held by the Police, various complaints by Refugees/IDPs and/or "Missing" Persons' Families for alleged negligene or rather unwilingness to energetically defend their cases at the ECHR, controversial refusals to protect some Journalists allegedly facing repeated abuses, nor to initiate proceedings agaist some High-Ranking Political Authorities, etc.

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ECEJ : ECHR cases reveal ..129 violations by Turkey of the Human Right to a "Fair Trial" in just one Year (2010) !
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+ In the most grave affairs, ECHR's condemnations for Violating the Human Right to a "Fair Trial" reached a Record High of ..83  Condemnations for Turkey (and 46 "Settlements" recognizing a violation,, i.e. a Total of  ..129 attested Violations !), in just one Year considered by ECEJ's latest Report (2010), followed by Ukraine as a distant second wih 59 condemnations (+ only 6 Settlements), Italy with 50, Romania with 46, Greece with 33, Slovakia with 30 violations (but also .. 44 "Settlements"), until down to Germany with just 18, Hungary with 13 (+ ..32 "Settlements"), Portugal with 10, FYROM with 9 Condemnations (and ..31 "Settlements"), etc., generally in far less serious cases.
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Concerning "Criminal Law" cases, the by far greatest Number of serious affairs "Pending" at the Highest Courts, exists in Turkey : ....364500 cases (often of Jailed People, etc), followed, far away, by Italy : 29381 cases (comparatively less serious), and later Romania : 3684 cases,  France : 2682 cases, Spain : 2134,  Croatia : 2122, Albania : 2016,  Bosnia : 704, Poland : 669, Belgium : 647, Ukraine : 498, etc.
Turkey had also the Greatest Number of "Criminal" cases among CoE's 48 Member Countries : 1.827.336, compared to 1.607.646 for Italy (less severe cases), 1.336.505 for Spain, 1.181.995 for Germany, 1.111.772 for Poland, 1.061.097 for France, 441.911 for the Netherlands, 383.565 for Croatia, 200.279 for Ukraine, 195.817 for Switzerland, 171.480 for Romania, etc., and much Less for all Other Countries. 

 
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+ Economy : F.ex. Greece (in the Past) : More Money for Salaries, less for IT Investment ?!  => Record long Delays...
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On the Economic front, Astonishingly, indebted Greece used to pay more Salaries to the Staff in State's Justice services : almost 600 Millions € (597+, even if wasn't all distributed after the 2010 Crisis), i.e. much more than Portugal : 429+ and Austria : 369 Millions €, Sweden : almost 300, Hungary : 209, Chech Republic : 200, Romania : 181, Finland : 184, Denmark : 148, Ukraine : 146, Croatia : 145, Norway : 131+, Slovenia : 126, Scotland and Northern Ireland (UK) : not even 100,  Serbia : 93, Bulgaria : 76, Ireland : nearly 53, Lithuania  : 34, and other comparable Countries, (in 2010 data).

On the contrary, f.ex. the Past Greek Governments (mainly of PASOK) didn't invest in "Computerisation" of the Justice system, but only ... 300 Thousands € (!), compared to more than 17 Millions € by Denmark, 13 Millions € by Sweden, almost 12 Millions by Finland, 11,6 Millions € by Croatia, 10,5 Millions € by Portugal,  7,5 Millions by Hungary and Czech Republic, 5,4 Millions € by Ireland, 1,8 Millions by Latvia, 1,3 Millions by Malta, 779 Thousands € by Lithuania, 650 Thousands by Moldova, 322 Thousands by Bulgaria, etc....

Indeed, the Past "Greek" Governments (mainly PASOK+) used to pay more Money for Salaries to State Agents (+ 92,6% notes CoE !) than to investments in Justice (f.ex. Computers, Buildings, Training/Education, etc). This fact exceptionaly assimilated "Greece" to .. Turkey, (where State Courts' Staff Salaries augmented almost at a similar pace). On the contrary, in Scotland (UK) the ratio was extremely opposite : Only 36%...

Moreover, Greece (and Portugal, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, etc., who seem even worse) had hired more Administrative Staff per Judge (3,3), than Austria and Hungary : 3,1, France and Russia : 3,0, Turkey : 2,8, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria and Armenia  : 2,7, the Netherlands : 2,6,  Finland : 2,4, Romania : 2,1, Albania ; 2,1, Norway : 1,5, Luxembourg : 1,1, etc.

This is added to the fact that Greece has also the Biggest Number of Judges, compared to the Population (per 100.000 inhabitants) among most "Western" Countries, and even from some "Eastern" Countries, i.e. =  18 Judges, while even Switzerland and Belgium have only 14,5 and 14,8 ;  Albania, Norway and Sweden : 11,7, 11,2 and 11,5; Italy : 11 ;  France : 10,7 ;   Turkey : 10,6 ;  Spain : 10,2, ;  Denmark : 9 ; Armenia and Azerbaidjan ; 6,7 ; Georgia ; 5,2 ; (etc ).

Only in the rare case of Germany (24,3), and of several "Eastern" Countries (who, generally, have more Judges than all the others : f.ex. Poland : 27,8 ; Russia : 22,6 ; Ukraine and Romania ; 19,3 and 19 ; etc.) it's exceptionaly otherwise.            

                                   
Even the Number of Prosecutors, (despite the fact that it's less than the average among all 48 CoE Countries), nevertheless, it's Bigger in Greece, compared to the Population, than in many other European Countries  : 4,8 per 100.000 inhabitats, while the Netherlands have only 4,7 ; Ireland and Austria have only 4,2 and 4,1 ; Italy only 3,3 ; France, Andorra and San Marino just 3 ; (etc).

But Greece is one among the Few Countries (only 9 out of 48, as, f.ex. Cyprus, Portugal, Belgium, etc) which asks from Citizens to also pay Fees or Taxes in order to have access even to Criminal Justice, while, on the contrary, in 39 other CoE Member Countries, this remains Free of charge.

The Biggest Number of Lawyers (per 100.000 inhabitants) in all CoE's 48 Countries exists also in ...Greece : 369 ! (with the only pseudo-"exception" of the "special" case of  Luxembourg : 371, where is, however, located the EU Court of Justice), while, f.ex., Italy has just 349, Spain 272, Portugal 259,  Belgium 152, Switzerland 128, Serbia 110, Norway 104, the Netherlands 100, Turkey 96, Austria 89, Slovakia 83, France only 79, Poland 77, Slovenia 63, Monaco 69, Latvia 61, Sweden 53, Lithuania 51, Moldova 47, Russia 46, Finland 35, Armenia 34, and Azerbaijan ... 8,  etc.
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=> Nevertheless, all this doesn't help at all Greece to, at least, provide Justice Fast enough, since, on the contrary, Athens holds a PanEuropean Record High of Time Delays in Courts, for Non-Criminal cases (Civil, Commercial, and Administrative Law), with an average of ... 510 Days ! (only Bosnia and Cyprus delay more, with 666 and 564 Days), compared to 417 in Portugal, 393 in Italy, 327 in Croatia, 303 in Spain, 272 Days  in France, 258 in Serbia, 240 in Germany, 238 in Slovakia, 216 in Romania, 198 in Luxemburg, 187 in Turkey,  113 in Bulgaria, 74 in Austria, 58 in Georgia, 56 in Hungary,  55 in Ukraine, 35 in Azerbaijan, and just .. "13"Days  in Russia, etc...

Leyenberger's observations (comp. Supra), proved here quite right !
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(../..)

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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version may be published asap).

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*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/-[partly UPDATED with 18/9/2012 Addition : See Infra]. - EU is due to make important moves on Higher Education "soon", starting, probably, from "the next few Days", revealed to "EuroFora" the competent EU Commissioner for Culture and Education, MultiLinguism and Youth, Androula Vassioliou, former MEP and 1st Lady of Cyprus, (current EU Council's rotating Presidency during July-December 2012), topically speaking at EU Parliament in the aftermath of a landmark speech by experienced EU Commission's President Joao Barroso, precisely on the current need to launch "Ambitious" EU changes for a stronger, more integrated "Economic Union", firmly supported by a "Political Union" at the foreseable "Horizon" (See Infra).
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EU Commissioner Vassiliou was responding to an "EuroFora" question on EU University Education's current challenges, also in relation with Russia, China, USA and other rapidly evolving parts of the World :

 - "I think that we (EU) are in a very close Relationship with both China and the USA, on this", i.e. University Education

- "Because of the Globalization (also) in Education", she basically explained.

=> - "And we (EU) are all Moving towards a Modernization of Higher Education",  the competent EU Commissioner pointed out.

- "It's one of our Priorities", (as f.ex. in EU Commission's "Agenda 2020", etc), added Androula Vassiliou, who is also a former 1st Lady (wife of ex-President of the Republic) of Cyprus, the current holder of EU Council's rotating Chairmanship, whose July - December 2012 Priorities include, inter alia, also  "Issues related to Education and Culture (which) will ...be Highlighted, such as the ... provision of more Qualitative Education and Training", including "in order to meet the needs of the Job Market", of obvious interest particularly in a period of extended unemployment in the curent way out of the Global Crisis.

 + But, are there any important moves to expect in this area from the EU in the foreseeable Future, "EuroFora" asked ?

- EU Commissioner Vassiliou reacted just with a big, spontaneous Smile, and positively replied : - "Yes, very Soon !"

-  In fact, already during "the Next Few Days", she warned...

- But, Vassiliou carefuly kept her "secret" : - We shall probably speak about that "on Next Tuesday".

I.e. on September 18, in Brussels, the day scheduled for EU Commission plenary's next session, just after this week's presence of all EU Commissioners in Strasbourg, together with President José Manuel Barroso, the key-note speaker of EU Parliament Plenary's 2012 "State of the Union" Debate with MEPs, where he gave even an official "Green Light" and Stimulated further  the recently launched Movement towards the necessary creation of a deeper European "Political Union", (Comp. earlier relevant "EuroFora"s NewStories).

Almost at the same moment, (on Wednesday, September 19), at another exceptional move related to Strategic decisions on Europe's Future, Cyprus' President Dimitris Christofias, current EU Council's rotating Chairman for the period July-December 2012, is due to meet in Brussels both EU Commission's President Barroso and European Council's President Van Rompuy, mainly on evolving Negotiations about the Strategic issue of EU's 2014-2020 Financial Perspectives, where a Decision is expected to be prepared before the forthcoming December 2012 EU Brussels' Summit.

According to the "Programme" of the 7-12/2012 Cyprus' EU Presidency (which includes finalisation of Strategic Decisions on Eu's MultiAnnua Financial Perspectives for the period of 2014-2020), "in the field of Higher Education, Focus will be given on the Modernisation of Universities", with "Emphasis...to Quality....and Internationalisation". But also "on Teaching and Learning Excellence", which "requires the Reformation...of Europe’s higher education", including by "support (to) Personalised Learning, (by) facilitat(ing) Access through Distance learning and Virtual Mobility" (i.e. via Internet+), in parallel to "streamlin(ing) Administration and creat(ing) New Opportunities for Research".

Precisely, even a Young European Scientist, as, f.ex. Dr. Constantin Marcopoulos, "EuroFora"s Scientific Advisor, particulary after visiting not only EU key Cities as Paris, London, Luxembourg, Marseille, Mainz, Brixen/Bressanone, Bonn, etc. but also, (immediately after succesfully presenting his PHD Thesis at a Panel of University Professors from Strasbourg, Paris, Marseille and Geneva), Shanghai (China)'s Mega-city, famous not only since the 2010 International Fair's Heads of State/Government Summit (Comp. relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/shangai.html), but even by its Worldwide "Shanghai International University Ranking" system, he felt similar Concerns with several Young Researchers from France and other EU Countries, expressed at a Conference in EU Parliament in Strasbourg at the eve of the 2012 French  Elections, on the occasion of a European Survey's publication, about the big Challenges that European "University Education, specially at the borderline with Research", as he said, has to face in today's Global Competition, including vis a vis USA and other RST poles in the World. - "We have to compare and study the various differencies existing today among evolving University Education systems, both in Europe and elsewhere in the World, in order to feel the need and succeed to find better solutions for the EU", he suggested, pointing at a kind of work usually done in a PanEuropean area, (i.e. f.ex. Russia included, etc.) by the CoE, possibly in Cooperation with -or at the demand of- the EU, together with UNESCO, etc.

=> -  "We (EU) need to be much more Ambitious about Education, Research, Innovation and Science", stressed earlier this week to MEPs President Barroso, reminding also, in this regard, that, already, "Europe is a World Leader in Key sectors such as Aeronautics, AutoMotives, Pharmaceuticals, and Engineering, with Global Market Shares above a Third" (+ 1/3),  while, "despite the Economic Slowdown", nevertheless, "over the last Decade",  "Industrial Productivity increased by + 35 %", with "some 74 Million Jobs depend(ing) on Manufacturing", and " Start-up Firms in the EU" creating "4 Million Jobs every year", as he noted.

This is an integral part of the "Economic Union" that Europe "Needs" Today in order to become  "Competitive" enough  to create "Sustainable Growth", i.e. "the LifeBlood of our European Social Market model", that "creates Jobs and supports our Standard of Living", in basic harmony with elementary "Human Rights" and Democratic "Values", which "ultimately .. depends on" a "Political Union at the Horizon", (i.e. a European "Federation of Nation-States),  as EU Commission's President highlighted earlier this week in Strasbourg, where he launched a vibran call also "for the Development of a European Public Space", where main "Issues are discussed and Debated from a European perspective", as he highlighhted, (Comp. also other, relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports" this week, including, f.ex., on European Political Parties, EU's Enlargement criteria, etc).

EU's move come while PanEuropean CoE's Assembly is also due to debate and vote, at the beginning of October in Strasbourg, on 2 new Reports about the "International openess and Consolidation", as well as the "Governance" of the "European Higher Education Area".

(../..)

 

 

+ "Not all Reforms require more Money, sometimes it's mainly a question of better Organization", she rightfully replied to 2 or 3 Questions which had focused almost exclusively on Funding issues only, (while it's well known that often, it's also by reducing Bureaucracy, ameliorating efficient Relations, and by finding ways to stimulate the Consciousness, Motivation, and Knowledge of both Teachers and Students towards developing the Best ways to boost People's capacities in Higher Education Learning which can be a crucial key for success, where "Quality and Excellence" matters too, including "in Growth and Jobs", as she said.).

 

 

 

- EU "Cares for Education" and "for its Young People", also because it's the "Lever of EU's Future" , stressed from the outset, the EU Group's President, former President of Ireland (1997-2011), Mary McAleese, (whose Country will chair EU Council in the next period of January-June 2013, immediately after Vassiliou's Cyprus, of which she was 1st Lady, will conclude it EU's rotating chair on December 31, 2012).

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo-An "ambitious" US-EU Agreement is an "option" for important, forthcoming Trans-Atlantic Inter-Parliamentary a.o. meetings at Washington DC before the end of 2012, in the framework of joint Euro-American efforts to boost Global Economic Growth, said to "EuroFora" the US. Deputy Trade Secretary Miriam Shapiro, at the conclusion of 2 Days-long bilateral contacts between reprtesentatives of the two partners in EU Parliament in Strasbourg.

 - Speaking shortly after the publication of OECD's 2012 Report on Global Growth, which Warned against curtrent risks for an excessive "Slowdown", Shapiro told "EuroFora" that te main point in her Strasbourg meetings is that, currently, "EU - USA Auhorities are in Cooperation for a Good, Permanent US-EU Trade" framework, "extending to all" possible tools currently "on the table", "....including the option of a Comprehensive and Ambitious Trade Agreement, that could help boost Growth and create more Jobs, on both sides", as she added.

+ In this regard, "a High Level Working Group" set up this year, is due to "issue its Report with Recommendations to the leaders", for concrete action soon, the US Deputy Trade Secretary also replied to a subsequent "EuroFora"s question on the "Timing" of foreseeable "Decisions".
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+ The Strasbourg meeting was actively attended also by the New Director of EU Parliament's Permament Representation to Washington DC (USA), Antoine Ripoll, who was intensively contacted on this occasion by several interested MEPs.

 - "It's a paradox that EU - USA Trade relations have not yet been formalised in a bilateral Trade Agreement, and the next meeting of EU - USA Joint InterParliamentary Delegation, on December 2012, in Wash.D.C. would help move on that issue, said to "EuroFora" Ripoll, who is scheduled to take over his New Duties at Washington D.C. "on November", i.e. during and immediately after the forthcoming US. Presidential Elections...

Meanwhile, the President of EU Parliament's Delegation for relations with the USA, German MEP Christian Ehler, from the Governing ChristianDemocrat/EPP party, led today a MEPs' discussion on the forthcoming, December 2012 meeting with US Congress' counterparts engaged in the "Trans-Atlantic Legislators Dialogue" (TLD), scheduled this time both at Washington and at Nashville, in the State of Tenessee.

Some MEPs expressed their surprise by the fact that Europe was almost absent, at least until now, in the current Debates between the two main Candidates for the November 2012 US Presidential Elections, Obama and Romney, while several other MEPs expressed the wish for a scheduled US - EU Debate on the Internet, to be extended not only to CyberCrime, but also to a much "larger scope of WWW issues",  and to include participants not only from Microsoft but even from other, f.ex. European IT Companies, etc.
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+ At a parallel, related development, New US Ambassador to Cyprus, current EU Council's rotating Chair for the period of July - December 2012, John Koening, presented his credentials to the President of the Country, Demetris Christofias, this same Day at Nicosia, just before an important EU Top-Level, Barroso - Christofias - Van Rompuy meeting in Brussels next week, scheduled for Wednesday, September 19, at Noon.

New Prospects for Energy cooperation, after the recent and still on-going Oil/Gas Exploration, with good initial Findings, at Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone, as well as in Israel's (and Lebanon's, etc.) SeaCoasts, were reportedly evoked on this occasion at the island.