WASHINGTON, June 15, 2023—The World Bank Group Board of Executive Directors today approved a $100 million loan for an Investment Project Financing (IPF) aimed at improving the delivery and resilience of justice services in Romania. The Strengthening Foundations for Improved Justice Service Delivery Project will be implemented by the Government of Romania through the Ministry of Justice over the course of seven years. It will build on more than a decade of World Bank financial and technical support provided to Romania to enhance access to quality justice services by citizens and businesses.
“Strengthening the delivery of justice services and the rule of law is essential for Romania’s overall governance and socio-economic development,” said Anna Akhalkatsi, World Bank Country Manager for Romania. “Through this project, the World Bank aims to support the Government of Romania to ensure that key enabling conditions and institutional arrangements are in place within the justice sector - including strong foundations such as digitalization, effective coordination mechanisms, and adequate business continuity planning.”
The Strengthening Foundations for Improved Justice Service Delivery Project will continue to support the implementation of targeted reforms and investments to improve access to justice services for citizens and businesses across Romania through improvements to the management of legal aid, development and roll-out of an integrated, user-centric model for justice service delivery, and modernization of selected courts’ infrastructure.
Romania has made important progress in strengthening its rule of law framework since joining the European Union. Furthermore, it has made efforts to improve the capacities of staff in the judiciary and has invested in improving justice infrastructure by rehabilitating several courts across the country in line with European standards, including with financial support from the World Bank under the Judicial Reform Project and the Justice Services Improvement Project.
Next generation reforms focus on scaling up improvements in the access to and quality of justice services throughout Romania. Many parts the justice infrastructure were not designed for user-centric service provision, and do not meet international risk and resilience standards. Romania still ranks below the European average in terms of access and affordability of civil justice, while medium-sized businesses are three times more likely to report courts as being the top obstacle to the business environment.
Particular attention under the Project will be given to facilitating access to justice among vulnerable and marginalized groups. Geographical and physical constraints coupled with a fragmented service provision are important factors influencing citizens’ decision to seek legal help. For example, victims of domestic violence currently need to visit the police, a forensic doctor, and other entities in different locations to seek legal guidance. Due to this time- and resource-intensive experience, victims often avoid seeking redress through the justice system or abandon their efforts before reaching the courts.
“Barriers to obtaining justice services tend to disproportionately affect the poor and other vulnerable groups across Romania. Given Romania’s high rate of domestic violence, victims of such abuse are just one example of the vulnerable groups that the project aims to support through activities targeted at increasing access to justice” added Ms. Akhalkatsi.
The Project will also focus on improving the resilience and management of the justice sector’s resources, supporting advancements in digitalization and the development of business continuity plans, while building institutional capacity and strengthening inter-institutional coordination and collaboration. It includes a Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) allowing the Government rapid access to financing in case of major adverse events and emergencies.
