In Vienna, Austria, Kateryna Odarchenko, a founder of SIC Group USA LLC and member of the International Association of Government Relations Professionals (IGAPA), met with Mr. Georg Stawa.
Mr. Stawa, a former judge and Judicial Attaché for the Western Balkans at the Austrian Embassy in Belgrade, has a distinguished career. He has held significant roles such as Head of Strategy, Consulting, and Information Management at the Austrian Ministry of Constitutional Affairs, Reforms, Deregulation, and Justice. Additionally, he served as the national coordinator for EU-SRSS projects and participated in various international research projects. Mr. Stawa has also been a visiting lecturer at Plekhanov Moscow University of Economics and was actively involved in justice reform projects in Central and Eastern Europe in leadership positions. His extensive international experience includes advising on judicial reforms, focusing on reform strategies, standardized working methods, court evaluation, and the selection and training of judges. Furthermore, he served as Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice under Deputy Prime Minister Brandstätter and has been a long-term member of the Commission on the Effectiveness of Justice (CEPEJ) of the Council of Europe, where he also served as President.
During the meeting, discussions centered on the development of Government Relations (GR) in Austria and the role of IGAPA in fostering international GR dialogue. The exchange highlighted the importance of standardized working methods and the evaluation of judicial performance in reforming justice systems. Mr. Stawa shared insights from his extensive experience in judicial reforms, emphasizing the strategies and methodologies that have proven effective in Central and Eastern Europe.
The participants explored avenues for future collaboration, particularly in areas where IGAPA and the Austrian GR community could work together to enhance the effectiveness and transparency of government relations. Mr. Stawa suggested continuing cooperation with IGAPA to further strengthen the international GR network and improve the implementation of judicial reforms.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both parties expressing their commitment to ongoing dialogue and cooperation to advance GR practices and judicial reforms.