Georgia has made “huge steps” towards judicial independence and “increased public confidence” towards the system proves that the reforms are going in right direction, Kote Kublashvili, the chairman of Supreme Court, said on February 24.

“But we want [the judicial system] to be even more independent and objective,” he said and added that donor funding was important in this process.

Kublashvili was speaking at launch of USAID-funded, four-year USD 19.3 million Judicial Independence and Legal Empowerment Project. The project will focus on areas such as judicial institutions; civil society support; legal education and commercial law.

U.S. ambassador to Georgia, John Bass, said at the same event that the goal of the project was “to help perfect application of justice in Georgia and to ensure that the application of justice in Georgia reflects participation and confidence of all the citizens of Georgia.”

“Our investment over next four years is very consistent with our broader investment and commitment to the people of Georgia to help everyone in this country to work together to develop better system,” he said.