In the afternoon of June 13, the last day of his term in the position of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Andris Gulans invited those people who he worked and cooperated with during the fourteen years in the field of justice. “The privilege of a leader is the possibility to meet different persons and to perfect oneself”, said a. Gulans expressing gratitude to those who he had met while holding the position of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court admitted that the time has changed, but one thing has remained unchanged – the cognition that there is much to be done in the judiciary. A. Gulans said that he has fulfilled the duties of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court applying his best efforts and as he found best for the Supreme Court and the Latvian judiciary in general. Probably, another person in his position would have acted differently: set different goals or used different means to achieve them, it depends on a person, his conviction and willpower. “The rights are the skill of good administration and justice”, concluded a. Gulans.

A. Gulans wanted to present the Acknowledgements of the Supreme Court for longtime cooperation to the Latvian judges in the instances of the European Courts – the Justice of the European Court of Human Rights Ineta Ziemele, the Justice of the Court of the European Community Egils Levits and the Justice of the First instance court Ingrida Labucka, as well as the Latvian Council of Notaries, Latvian Bar Association and the Latvian Council of bailiffs.

In the period of fourteen years while A. Gulans held the position of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, he experienced the change of nine Ministers of Justice, and he expressed his gratitude for cooperation to them, as well. Romans Apsitis remembered how he had to persuade Gulans to undertake the duties of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Vineta Muizniece had counted that she had changed five positions within fourteen years while Gulans remained stable as a rock. Solvita Aboltina recalled the conception of the reform of judiciary initiated while she was in the office and promised that it would not be easy for the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, as well, because in any way it would be necessary to return to this reform.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court had a good cooperation with the chairmen of the regional courts, too. They were grateful to A. Gulans for the understanding of the problems, for assistance and support.

Common work on law enforcement linked the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court with the Prosecutor General Office, the Corruption Prevention Office, the Constitutional Court, as well as with the Judicial Training Center and the Lawyers’ Association.

Leaving the office, A. Gulans was grateful also to his deputies in the Supreme Court Pavels Gruzins and Gunars Aigars, as well as the other heads of the structural units – Valerijans Jonikans, Veronika Krumina, Ivars Bickovics, Zigrida Mita and the Head of the Supreme Court Administration Anita Kehre and her deputy Sandra Lapina.

Andris Gulans held the position of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for two terms – from 1994 till 2008. Although the law does not state any limitations to another term of the position of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, A. Gulans refused to be nominated for the third term. On June 5, the Saeima (Parliament) confirmed the new candidacy nominated by the Plenary Session of the Supreme Court to the position of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court – the Chairman of the Chamber of Criminal Cases Ivars Bickovics. Bickovics holds the position starting from Monday, June 16.

 

Information prepared by

Head of the Division of Communications of the Supreme Court Rasma Zvejniece

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 7020396, 28652211