Contacts: In Yerevan: Vigen Sargsyan (374-10) 524-884, vsargsyan@worldbank.org In Washington: Steven Jouy (202) 473-4215, sjouy@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, March 8, 2007 – The World Bank Board of Directors today approved a credit of US$22.5 million for the Second Judicial Reform Project (JRP2) for Armenia. The project aims to provide the country’s judicial system with the administration, quality facilities and expanded capacity that are necessary to improve the efficiency, reliability and transparency of judicial operations. The project will also continue to improve public awareness of services and access to legal and judicial information. The project will be supported by a US$3 million co-financing Policy and Human Resource Development (PHRD) Grant from the Japanese Government. The grant will support capacity building and technical assistance activities within the judicial reform project. During the last decade, the Armenian authorities initiated important reforms, supported in part by the World Bank’s first Judicial Reform Project (JRP1), to put in place the building blocks for a modern judiciary. Building on the results of JRP1, the Second Judicial Reform Project will further strengthen the judiciary’s efficiency and transparency by expanding the use of innovations in judicial proceedings, such as case management software and digital case recording systems. JRP2 will also complete the rehabilitation of most of the remaining courthouses in the regions as well as initiate the construction of a new Cassation Court building. “Armenian citizens need better access to justice and legal information, both of which require strengthening the judicial system’s reputation,” said David Bernstein, head of the World Bank team designing the project. “This operation will build on the achievements of the first judicial reform project, and will support the Armenian judiciary in implementing the second stage of reforms initiated by the constitutional amendments and the adoption of the Judicial Code.” It is expected that the increased efficiency of court proceedings, publication of decisions, and better public awareness of judicial performance will encourage the public to make greater use of the courts to handle disputes, and contribute to the stronger protection of property and contract rights that are critical for a market economy. The project will also improve access to judicial services in rural areas, which are often not the focus of judicial reform efforts but are nonetheless a critical factor in poverty reduction. The Second Judicial Reform Project has six main components: (1) Building the capacity of a reformed Council of Justice and an effective Judicial Department, expanding judicial automation, and developing a judicial database; (2) building a new Cassation Court complex and rehabilitating regional courthouses; (3) establishing a permanent Judicial Training School and supporting the development of training curricula; (4) improving the enforcement of judicial decisions; (5) strengthening arbitration services; and (6) expanding access to legal information and raising public awareness of judicial reform and legal rights, particularly by building on public information campaigns, such as the “My Rights” TV show, previously introduced under JRP1. This final component will also support the involvement of civil society in monitoring and evaluating the implementation and outcomes of judicial reform in the country. By the time the project is completed, the courts and the enforcement service will have undergone improved training and their capacity to process cases faster as well as manage an expanding caseload will have increased. Citizens will have better access to legislation and judicial decisions through online services. The majority of regional judicial buildings will be rehabilitated (at least 20,000 sq meters), and case recording systems and automated case management software will be in place in all renovated courts. The credit is provided on ‘hardened’ IDA terms with a maturity of 20 years, and a grace period of 10 years. Armenia joined the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, and the country has been in the process of graduating from IDA since July 1, 2006. Commitments to Armenia amount to approximately US$1.25 billion for 47 operations.
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