A 3-day training session and lecturer competence development, titled „Interests and values in the European Union” has started for court secretary and newly appointed judge members of the European Law Advisors’ Network (ELAN), and participants of the THEMIS competition on the Hungarian Academy of Justice (MIA).

“The fact that my mother tongue is Hungarian, and I speak, I think, I write in Hungarian, is the biggest event of my life that is unparalleled. (...) It is routed deep within me, in the drops of my blood, in the stump of my nerves, as a metaphysical mystery. In this unique life, this is how I really make a statement.” – quoted dr. Árpád Répássy, vice president of the National Office for the Judiciary (NOJ) the words of Dezső Kosztolányi in his opening speech. Dr. Árpád Répássy referred to the fact that in 2011 the Parliament declared November 13 the day of the Hungarian language. He emphasized in his speech that the courts are also responsible for preserving our intangible cultural heritage, setting an example and direction for communities. As the members of the European Law Advisors’ Network also set an example, since their role in the judiciary is becoming increasingly important at European level.

On the first day of the training of the European Law Advisors’ Network, as national judges, we can ask ourselves about the role we play in the conflict of different interests and values – said dr. András Osztovits in his opening speech, who, as coordinator of the ELAN, drew attention to the fact that the network has had a major role in the Hungarian judiciary since the accession to the European Union. A lot depends on the professional knowledge and conscientiousness of the ELAN advisors, and it is necessary to help fellow colleagues to know the legal maze of the European Union, he said. The current training also supports the advisors in being able to pass on what has been said here to the judges in their area of competence.

Following the opening of the event, participants and mentors of the 2019 EJTN Themis competition were awarded for their excellent performance. Dóra Pálfi, Zoltán Földvári and Diána Dely, helped by mentors Karolina Varga and Szabolcs Hornyák, represented Hungary in the criminal semi-finals; Franciska Gyuranecz, Dorottya Papp and Bernadett Krausz prepared for the Themis finals with the help of Bálint Kovács and Dóra Virág Dudás.
Documents for new members of the ELAN and rewards for excellent advisors were also handed out at the event: for dr. Árpád Lajos Kiss in the administrative law department, for dr. Tamás Palkó in the criminal law department, for dr. Bálint Kovács in the civil-economic law department, for dr. Szilvia Halmos in the labour law department, for court secretary dr. Andor Gál in the criminal law department and for court secretary dr. Linda Majosházi in the civil-economic law department.

After the solemn moments, dr. János Bóka, State Secretary for European Union and International Judicial Cooperation at the Ministry of Justice gave a speech on "The protection of interests and values in the European Union", where he spoke about the European Union's rule of law policy. Throughout the process of integration, he pointed out that European integration, although launched on an economic basis, nevertheless saw itself as a community of values that would deepen as needed. He introduced the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the development of the relationship between fundamental rights and the European Union - mentioning the role of the Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. He stressed that while the member states had previously imagined that they would hold the institutions to common values, today the EU institutions are calling on the member states to respect the rule of law. 
 
On the second day of the three-day event, training will continue in English, German and French sections, and on the third day, civil-economic and labour law consultants will attend lecture skills training sessions. 

At the same time, administrative and criminal law advisors will participate workshops.
The agenda and summaries of the trainings of the ELAN are available on the ELAN website: http://ejszh.justice.hu/