Quarterly Report: December 2011 - March 2012

The overarching objective of the project is to help the Macedonian judiciary to evolve as an independent, self-governing, effective, and accountable branch of government capable of meeting the needs of citizens, businesses, and organizations for prompt and impartial protection of their rights and adjudication of their legal disputes. The project's start-up and preliminary activities during the first quarter were focused on building alliances and support for planned activities. Meetings were held with partners, potential counterparts, donors, and civil society organizations (CSOs) to establish relationships and gather information. These meetings included discussions with the President of the Judicial Council and the Director of the Administrative Office, as well as with the Chief Justice of the Republic of Macedonia, the President Judges of Appellate Regions, and representatives from various organizations such as the Law On Mediation Project, the Republic of Macedonia Committee For Protection Of The Right To Free Access To Public Information, the World Bank, and the Organization For Security And Co-Operation In Europe. The project also engaged with various professional associations, including the Macedonian Judges Association (MJA), the Macedonian Lawyers Association, the European Law Students' Association, and the Court Administrators Association. These meetings aimed to establish partnerships and gather input on the project's initiatives. Additionally, the project team met with the President Judge Of The Appellate Court, Skopje Region, the President Of The Court Service Council, the Administrative Office Of The Court Budget Council, and the ACCMIS Meetings to discuss project-related activities. The project's first annual work plan was developed during the first quarter, outlining the project's results framework, project results areas, and specific requirements for each area. The results framework outlined three main areas of focus: strengthened advocacy and citizen participation in judicial sector reform, more independent, efficient, and consistent application of judicial policies and practices, and increased fairness and efficiency of the administration of justice through more effective legal personnel and efficient processes. The project's first year work plan and performance-management plan were also developed during the first quarter. The performance-management plan outlined the project's indicators and targets for the first year, including the development of a short focused assessment, baseline survey, and resulting action plan on justice sector LPAs and CSOs and the role they can play in strengthening the rule of law in Macedonia. The project's financial quarterly report for the period of December 2011 to March 2012 was also prepared during the first quarter. The report provided an overview of the project's financial status, including expenditures and income. The report also highlighted issues or problems affecting the delivery or timing of services, including registration, temporary consultants, project office, selection of permanent staff, procurement of equipment and supplies, and development of the JSP website. The project's start-up and preliminary activities during the first quarter laid the foundation for the project's future activities and set the stage for the project's implementation in the subsequent quarters.