Training Seminar on Professional Ethics and Procedural Fairness on 12 April 2016 in Almaty (Kazakhstan)

The seminar was opened by Zhanat Yeshmagambetov, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Xavier Barré, Team Leader of the Rule of Law Platform - Central Asia, Member of the Paris and New York Bars.

In the beginning of the event, the Republican Chamber of Private Judicial Officers of Kazakhstan, represented by its Chairman, Sergey Li, and the UIHJ, represented by its treasurer Juraj Podkonický, judicial officer from the Czech Republic, signed a memorandum on cooperation, according to which the Republican chamber became full member of the UIHJ.

“In October, 2015 we signed a cooperation agreement with the UIHJ. Today we join the Union. I suppose that our relationships will generate the development of our institute of judicial officers, because we have many issues that need solving in order to reach international standards. I think that our membership in the Union will give us an opportunity to reach our goals faster”, said Sergey Li.

The speakers at the seminar were international experts. Elin Vilippus, Manager of the Expert Group of the UIHJ delivered a keynote address on the theme of the Global Code of Enforcement. She also discussed recent European experiences with regard to monitoring and control over the profession. Juraj Podkonický made a presentation on “Ethics and deontology” and “Disciplinary proceedings”. Todor Lukov, Member of the Board of the Bulgarian Chamber of Private Enforcement Agents shared his experience in enforcement in Bulgaria. He also discussed the organisation of disciplinary proceedings in Bulgaria and the development of monitoring and control mechanisms in Bulgaria, and noted the importance of professional standards as an addition to ethical standards.

About the profession of enforcement agent in Germany Detlef Wasser, Chief of Department on Enforcement (R A4), Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumers' Protection of Germany gave a presentation on ”Ethics and deontology in Germany”. In the final part of the event Andreas Zedel, President of the Union of Enforcement officers of Thuringe (Germany) shared the experience regarding “Organisation of disciplinary proceedings in Germany”.

“The seminar is a dialogue platform where experiences can be exchanged. Not only we receive different practices from German, Czech, Bulgarian and Estonian or other foreign experts, but also these countries they can also receive these practices, because here in Kazakhstan we have functioning and effective legislation, which might be interesting to them. The denominator of this seminar is the development of further legislative initiatives in this sphere” - remarked Serik Nugmanov, Manager of the Regional Chamber of Private Judicial Officers of Almaty city.

The closing ceremony comprised an expression of gratitude and a closing address.