PM Ivanishvili met Levan Murusidze, chairman of new High Council of Justice (HCoJ), which oversees the judicial system, and discussed, among other issues, possible pay rise for judges.

Finance Minister, Nodar Khaduri, also attended the meeting. PM Ivanishvili said after the meeting that Chairman of HCoJ “convinced” him and the Finance Minister in the need of increasing salaries of judges and judiciary system’s staff.

Last time when judges got pay rise was in late 2008 and now monthly salaries vary from GEL 2,300 (for judges of city courts) to GEL 5,650 (for Chairman of Supreme Court). Judges of courts of appeal receive GEL 2,500 per month and their chairpersons – GEL 4,200; judges of the Supreme Court have GEL 4,400 and the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court – GEL 5,100.

After the meeting Ivanishvili praised new chairman of HCoJ and said: “Like me, he is too disposed to completely set the judiciary free from any outside influence.”

“He assumes this responsibility; we talked about it and our views actually concur with each other,” the PM said, adding that HCoJ chairman “sincerely tries to take care” for each and every judge.

“The new government will not dare to try [to influence the judiciary]… But at the same time we should not forget that absolute majority of judges were appointed by the previous authorities and we should certain that the judiciary is also free from the influence of the previous authorities,” Ivanishvili said.