The Baltic and Nordic countries will support the modernization of Ukraine's prison and probation system by developing resocialization approaches and promoting alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, according to an agreement between the Baltic and Nordic justice ministers.
The Justice Ministry informed that a meeting between the Baltic and Nordic countries and Ukraine, organized by the Justice Ministry, took place today, during which experts discussed the region's current and future cooperation with Ukraine in the field of justice.
Addressing the partners, Lauma Paeglkalna, Justice Ministry's Parliamentary Secretary, stressed that the countries are united by their unwavering support for Ukraine and their belief in the rule of law. Ukraine continues to face brutal Russian aggression on a daily basis - state institutions, including the courts, are operating under conditions of direct war and, despite this, Ukrainian lawyers, judges and civil servants continue to push for reforms that make their country part of Europe.
During the meeting, it was agreed to implement joint projects in Ukraine in a number of priority areas. These will help to reduce the workload of the courts and improve access to justice in wartime.
The importance of international judicial cooperation was also underlined in order to ensure Ukraine's closer integration into the European judicial area and to facilitate the prosecution of the aggressor, Russia, for war crimes.
The united position of the eight countries in this area will serve as a basis for coordinated, systematic and sustained assistance to strengthen the rule of law in Ukraine - not as a symbolic gesture, but as a real contribution to common European security and justice, the ministry said.
The Baltic-Nordic format includes Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, as well as Norway, Finland and Sweden.
