The activity of the press attaché on project “Open court” is over

The press attaché of District court – Pazardjik Marinela Chavdarova reported her activity to the media during the last day of her activity in the frames of project “Open court”. The regular press-messages to the media, the press-conferences, information on cases, preparation of informational publications, Media strategy of the courts in Pazardjik court region, Open doors days for students, visits and introducing with the activity of the regional courts in the court region, collecting of materials for the web site of Pazardjik district court and permanent contacts with the media – everything was reported in detail with numbers and dates. She expressed her gratitude to the reporters working in this field for their cooperation and the support during all the time. To the question if after the project the district court will have press attaché she answered that this will become clear in September. “Open court” project was implemented by Crime Prevention Fund – IGA in partnership with District court – Pazardjik within the Judicial Strengthening Initiative of the American Agency for International Development and continued 9 months.

 Citizen’s guide to the court system

Day of the open doors

In the District court – Pazardjik the first “Day of the open doors” was carried out. The students from 9 “g” class of Language high school “Berthold Brecht” – Pazardjik visited a court hearing. They were acquainted with the structure of the court system in Bulgaria and the behavior rules in court and the court system. All of them were given leaflets with information about the work of District court – Pazardjik. The young people observed with interest penal case for illegal possession of drugs.
During the next months four more informational activities with students will be carried out in the frames of project “Open court”, financially supported by program “Judicial Strengthening Initiative” of the American Agency for International Development.
The purpose is to increase the legal culture of the young people.

Judges from Pazardjik were trained to work with the media

Judges seminar on theme “Work with the media. Adopting of media strategy of the Pazardjik court region” was carried out on 6 and 7 April in Velingrad. The seminar is in the frames on project “Open court”, program “Judicial Strengthening Initiative” and was implemented with the financial support of American agency for international developing. Organization bodies were Crime Prevention Fund – IGA and District court – Pazardjik.
Representation in the seminar took the chairman of District court – Pazardjik Georgi Shopov, the chairmen of Regional courts – Alexander Alexandrov, Peshtera – Stefka Staikova, Panagiurishte – Tsviatko Mangov and Velingrad – Veselin Petrichev. 21 judges from Pazardjik court region also took part in the seminar.
The program “Judicial Strengthening Initiative” was presented by Director Ken Stewart. The magistrates were trained in skills for working with the media by Petko Georgiev – journalist from the Center for radio and television training “Pro Media”. The judges learned important rules for media manners and showed big interest towards the lecture of the famous journalist. The media strategies and the practice of the District courts of Varna and Gabrovo were presented by their PRs.
The seminar finished with the adoption of Media strategy of the courts in Pazardjik court region and it will be circulated very soon.

Annual report of the Court region – Pazardjik, performed before the media

On Friday in hall №1of the Court house on special press – conference the chairman of the District court Georgi Shopov presented to the media the Annual report of the Court region – Pazardjik. Participation in the meeting took also the representatives of Regional court – Pazardjik Alexander Alexandrov, Regional court – Velingrad Veselin Petrichev, Regional court – Panagyuriste Tsviatko Mangov and Regional court – Peshtera Stefka Staikova. In the District court – Pazardjik for 2005 the number of people tried was 152, sentenced – 140, and 98 people were let – 96 of them with conditional sentences. The persons sentenced to imprisonment between 3 and 15 years are 31. With terms from 10 to 30 years there are 5 persons. In Regional court – Pazardjik for 2005 the number of people tried was 1396, sentenced – 1320, 58 were acquitted. 116 are tried juveniles. Up to 3-year term received 981 people, 602 – conditional sentences. Sentenced from 3 to 5 years in prison are 22 people. Fine was the sentence for 231 people; probation – 72. In Regional court – Velingrad: - People tried – 259; - Acquitted – 20; - Sentenced – 239; - Tried juveniles – 12; - Up to 3-year term – 167, including conditional – 134; - From 3 to 15-year term – 3; - Fine – 16; - Probation – 45. In Regional court – Peshtera: - People tried – 257; - Acquitted – 20; - Sentenced – 237; - Tried juveniles – 20; - Up to 3-year term – 136, including conditional – 88; - From 3 to 15-year term – 6; - Fine – 44; - Probation – 36. In Regional court – Panagyuriste: - People tried – 127; - Acquitted – 4; - Sentenced – 117; - Tried juveniles – 14; - Up to 3-year term – 90, including conditional – 75; - From 3 to 14-year term – 4; - Fine – 10; - Probation – 7.

The site of District court – Pazardjik is open for visits

Internet site of District court – Pazardjik was represented on the media in the last day of February. About a month after the conference for representative the PR of the court and three months after the beginning of the project “Open court”, the District court – Pazardjik already have open “door” for the curious internet readers. The journalists were introduced from the PR Marinela Chavdarova whit the structure and the content of the site as well as the aims by the project for popularize the activity of the institution through the site. They shared some виждания and proposals for the developing of the site and its improving. A big interest provoke the рубриката “History”, engineered whit the support of библиографска information, предоставена от отдел краезнание of Regional library “Nikola Furnajiev” – Pazardjik.

Georgi Shopov presented the PR of District court – Pazardjik on press – conference.

Today in hall № 3 оf District court – Pazardjik press – conference was carried out and the PR of District court – Pazardjik Marinela Chavdarova was presented. She acquainted the journalists with her job specification and conception for the work whit the media. The sociologist Oleg Komsalov made detailed analysis on entry inquiry carried out in January for studying the opinion of the citizens about the court system. The inquiry provoked questions among the reporters that were there and the chairman of the court gave them detailed explanations. He undertakes the engagement to support them better reflection of the work on the court and the provision of exact and timely information, which will be of interest for the both sides. Special guest on the press – conference was Maria Karagiozova – coordinator “Funding of projects” on the side of American agency for international development, with whose support is realizing the project “Open court”. After the press – conference the journalists were invited on glass of wine for the official opening of the office of the PR, which was fixed and equipped by Crime prevention Fund – IGA within the project.

PR of the District Court elected

A commission headed by the Chairman of the District Court Georgi Shopov held interviews yesterday with all 7 candidates for PR of the District Court – Pazardjik. The members of the commission unanimously voted for 25-year old Marinela Chavdarova. She has graduated Economics of Mass Media in UNIE – Sofia and Public Relations at the same university. She knows English and Russian. The new PR will start a training course with judges and representatives of the administrative personnel under a program, provided for in IGA’s project and District Court – Pazardjik. During the second half of January 2006 Marinela Chavdarova will organize her first press conference, where she will be officially presented to the media.

Project “Open Court” starts

Today in the cabinet of Georgi Shopov, Chairman of District Court – Pazardjik, a press conference was held as part of project “Open court”, implemented by IGA with the financial support of USAID under the Judicial Strengthening Initiative. The Chairman opened officially the press conference and focused on the need of such project, outlining the main goal of the initiative – to increase public awareness for the work of the courts in Pazardjik Court Region and to establish effective channels for communication with society. Georgi Shopov pointed as an example to follow the good collaboration between the Pazardjik Court and IGA. Dimitar Rusinov, Program Director of IGA and project manager, and Marina Manolcheva, Executive Director of IGA presented the project to the media representatives and answered their questions. Until December 21st IGA awaits candidates for the position of Court PR officer to submit applications, and then a 5-member commission will select the best applicant.