Shevchuk to challenge his dismissal as chairman of Constitutional Court

15.05.2019 12:29

Ukrinform

Stanislav Shevchuk, who was dismissed from the post of a judge and chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, has stated that judges of the Constitutional Court "committed an unconstitutional coup" and is going to challenge his dismissal.

He wrote this on his Facebook page.

"Today [on May 14], an unconstitutional coup was committed in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and state power was seized by those who held the posts of judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. The judges of the main constitutional body of the state who swore allegiance to the people of Ukraine themselves committed a grave criminal offense connected with the overthrow of the constitutional order," Shevchuk said.

He claimed that there have been "gross and flagrant violations of the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine 'On the Constitutional Court,' the Rules of Procedure of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine."

According to Shevchuk, behind that is the "main beneficiary Poroshenko who is making every effort to retain power by maintaining control over major government institutions."

Shevchuk said that he was not going to give up and will turn to court and law enforcement authorities on May 15.

At a special meeting on Tuesday, May 14, 12 judges voted for Shevchuk's dismissal as a judge. Initially, judges expressed their distrust in the court chairman at the meeting. However, this decision did not have any legal consequences, since the law "On the Constitutional Court" does not specify the procedure for the dismissal of the chairman of the Constitutional Court, except of his own accord.

However, Shevchuk did not want to resign so the judges began voting on his dismissal as a judge according to a resolution of the standing commission on the rules of procedure and ethics, which was approved back in April.

In particular, the commission concluded that there were grounds for Shevchuk's dismissal from the post of a judge of the Constitutional Court due to a significant disciplinary offense committed by him, gross and systematic neglect of his duties, which is incompatible with the status of a judge of the Constitutional Court and revealed his unfitness for this post.

Shevchuk was also charged with issuing illegal orders, politicizing the court's activity, and ignoring the rights of judges.

In addition, signs of criminal offenses were seen in the actions of the court head. The issue concerns abuse of office, misuse of budget funds and interference with the work of judges.

A special meeting at which the judges had to consider the conclusion of the standing commission on rules of procedure and ethics was scheduled for May 14, but Shevchuk did not include this issue in the agenda, so the judges themselves raised this issue.

The Constitution of Ukraine provides that the newly elected president takes the oath of office in the presence of the chairman of the Constitutional Court. Eight resolutions on the date of the inauguration of Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky have currently been registered in the Verkhovna Rada. Deputies propose holding the inauguration ceremony on May 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, or on June 1.

Zelensky himself wants his inauguration to be held on May 19. However, a number of political and public figures spoke out against this date, since Ukraine marks the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Political Repressions on this day.

A statement was posted on the website of the Constitutional Court on April 25 and it said that the Constitutional Court would not impede the procedure for administering an oath to the president-elect.