EU, US ambassadors advise Ukraine to more actively involve independent experts in judicial reform

U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Ukraine Kristina Kvien and EU Ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas met with Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov and Deputy Head of the President’s Office Andriy Smyrnov to discuss the progress of judicial reform.

According to Ukrinform, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine posted this on Facebook.

"We continue to urge Ukrainian authorities to uphold their commitments to implement the Venice Commission recommendation of guaranteeing a temporary - but prevailing - role for independent experts in these [judicial] bodies," the statement reads.

The diplomats noted that independent experts are the only way to protect the High Council of Justice, the High Qualification Commission of Judges, and NABU – which are responsible for urgently needed judicial reforms and the fight against corruption – from malign influence.

Kristina Kvien and Matti Maasikas emphasized that it is important to involve independent experts who have no conflicts of interest, biases, or agendas, except to defend the public good.

As reported, the European Union and the United States have repeatedly noted that the judicial reform is key in Ukraine, and its success influence the observance of fundamental human rights and the rule of law, the protection of property and the trust of foreign investors, as well as the success of all democratic transformations in the country.

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