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Supreme Court receives EU grant for judiciary reforms
Undergoing reform: The European Union has provided a grant of 10 million euros (US$10
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Undergoing reform: The European Union has provided a grant of 10 million euros (US$10.65 million) to the Supreme Court (pictured) to renew its support for judicial reforms in the country. (Courtesy of mahkamahagung.go.id) (US$10.65 million) to the Supreme Court (pictured) to renew its support for judicial reforms in the country. (Courtesy of mahkamahagung.go.id)
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span class="inline inline-center">Undergoing reform: The European Union has provided a grant of 10 million euros (US$10.65 million) to the Supreme Court (pictured) to renew its support for judicial reforms in the country. (Courtesy of mahkamahagung.go.id)
The Supreme Court (MA) has received a grant of 10 million euros (US$10.65 million) provided by the European Union (EU), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the implementing partner, to continue its judicial reform project called SUSTAIN.
The SUSTAIN project aims to increase the transparency, integrity and accountability of the judicial system in Indonesia and to improve the quality of judicial services.
MA chief justice Hatta Ali said the court welcomed supports from the EU and UNDP to contribute to the court's continual efforts to achieve a model judicial system in Indonesia.
He said this priority was in line with the purpose of the court's reform blueprint and 2010-2035 plans.
"We are now striving to improve important aspects that have not yet received extensive attention in the past, such as capacity-building of juvenile courts' personnel, certification programs for judges of environment and fishery courts, human resource management for courts and tribunals and the case-tracking system," Hatta said at a press conference at the SUSTAIN project office in the court's secretariat building on Tuesday.
The SUSTAIN project started earlier this year after its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in July 2014. It will run until July 2019.
The project will be implemented across Indonesia, with a particular emphasis on pilot courts in a number of cities: Ambon (Maluku), Bandung (West Java), Bitung (North Sulawesi), Cibinong (West Java), Jakarta, Jayapura (Papua), Kabanjahe (North Sumatra), Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara), Manado (North Sulawesi), Medan (North Sumatra), Pontianak (West Kalimantan), Singkawang (West Kalimantan) and Sorong (West Papua).
The project includes training for judges and non-judge personnel, such as registrars and bailiffs from four chambers of the country's judicial system, namely general, religious, administrative and military courts.
Hatta said that the MA would determine which project would be funded by the SUSTAIN project, by the state budget (APBN), or by both. Such an arrangement would avoid duplication of budget spending, he added.
The chief justice further explained that the MA would only receive the EU grant in form of projects, not in cash. The financial matters, including the project budgeting oversight, would be handled directly by the EU as the donor party.
EU Ambassador to Indonesia Vincent Guérend said the EU recognized Indonesia's far-reaching reforms in the justice system.
"We believe it is important to take further steps to sustain the positive results of these reform efforts, including measures to strengthen the independence of the judiciary as well as the accountability and the oversight of law enforcement agencies and respect for the rights of vulnerable groups such as women and children," Guérend said. (ebf)(+)
