The President said he had a package of documents on the reform of the judiciary that had been forwarded to him from Parliament, and assured the Cabinet that he would sign them. He described the reform of the justice system as an important stage in the process of modernising the state.
Mr Putin paid special attention to the new Criminal Procedure Code, which fully meets constitutional human rights standards. It guarantees trial by jury. The President stressed that this institution would be introduced gradually as financial resources permit.
The President drew attention to the important amendments and additions introduced into the law on the status of judges. He stressed that it would help to upgrade the skills of judges, provide further guarantees of their independence and, among other things, rule out the participation of local authorities in the process of appointing judges.
Some of the changes under the reform of the justice system have to do with the work of the Constitutional Court.