Vastus kutsele

SUPREME COURT REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA President Robert Spano European Court of Human Rights Council of Europe F -67 07 5 Strasbourg Cedex FRANCE Tartu, 27 January 2022 Request to join the Superior Courts Network Honourable President Spano, Last year the Supreme Court of Estonia was invited to take part in the Superior Courts Network's Annual Forum, for which we were sincerely grateful. This highly informative and fruitful Forum initiated a discussion within our Court about becoming a member of the Network. Ms. Anne Austin, Jurisconsult of the European Court of Human Rights kindly provided us with practical information as well as the Charter and Operational Rules of the Network, which gave answers to several questions that had developed concerning the functioning of the Network. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Estonia, it reviews court judgments in civil, criminal and administrative cases by way of cassation proceedings and it is also the court of constitutional review. Therefore, an opportunity to be become a member of the international community created by European Court of Human Rights, that allows superior national courts to exchange information and case law, is with great importance to us. I believe an ongoing dialogue between the Supreme Court of Estonia and the European Court of Human Rights is highly valued and mutually beneficial. For these beforementioned reasons I would like to forward our request to join the Superior Courts Network. Please accept, President Spano, the assurances of my highest consideration. Yours sincerely, Villu Kõve Chief Justice Supreme Court of Estonia 17 Lossi St, 50093 Tartu, ESTONIA.TeI +372730 9002, fax +372 730 9003, e-mail: [email protected] n,r.r"n,. ri i gikoh us. ee