The European Union-funded Judicial Engagement and Transparency (JET) project has concluded after two years of work aimed at strengthening ties between Mongolia's judiciary, media, and civil society. The closing ceremony, held on 25 June 2026 in Ulaanbaatar, was opened by Judicial General Council Chairperson P. Zolzaya, EU Ambassador to Mongolia Ina Marciulionyte, and IDLO Country Representative Charles Bolland. The project, implemented by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in partnership with the Judicial General Council, ran from 15 July 2024 to June 2026.
Key results include training over 100 judges and court public relations officers through a 'Courts and Media Relations' course, which introduced Mongolia's first Judge-Press Spokesperson model based on German best practices. Eight 'Journalist Roundtables' engaged 277 participants, establishing a new platform for dialogue. Capacity-building for 59 civil society and media representatives led to a 47% increase in legal knowledge among CSO representatives and a 30% increase among journalists. A pilot paralegal service deployed 30 legal guides across four courts, assisting 6,462 citizens; the Judicial General Council is now exploring permanent institutionalization of the service.
Ambassador Marciulionyte noted that surveys had revealed a lack of understanding and trust between sectors, and the project aimed to open dialogue. She observed concrete shifts: judges came to understand the importance of communicating with the media, while journalists and civil society learned about the complexity of judicial work. She emphasized that judicial transparency is a long, continuous process. IDLO Country Representative Charles Bolland stated that the project increased public trust in Mongolia's judiciary. The JET project is part of the EU's broader support for judicial reform in Mongolia, reflecting its commitment to good governance and human rights.