CoE Secretary General criticizes draft law on amendments to judicial reform in Ukraine

This is stated in the letter of Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić to Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko dated October 1, an Ukrinform correspondent reports from Strasbourg.

"Further to our meeting last week [in New York], I would like to share with you some observations relating to reforms initiated by the Verkhovna Rada and, in particular, the ongoing reform of the judiciary in Ukraine," the letter reads.

As emphasized in the letter, achieving an independent, efficient and professional judiciary which enjoys the trust of the public and responds to its needs is part of the commitments undertaken by Ukraine when entering the Council of Europe.

"Against this background, we have taken note with some concern of Draft Law No.1008 “On Amendments to Some Laws of Ukraine on the Functioning of Judicial Governance”, adopted in the first lecture by the newly elected Verkhovna Rada," the Secretary General of the CoE notes.

She notes that the text puts forward wide-ranging changes which "could have significant implications for the independence of the judicial system. In particular, it affects the status and competencies of judges, as well as relating procedures."

According to Pejčinović Burić, the Council of Europe fully acknowledges the will of the Ukrainian Government to advance with reforms, but this should be based on international standards, including the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Secretary General of the CoE called on the Ukrainian leadership to pay attention to these requirements and offered assistance in carrying out the reforms.

On September 12, the presidential bill No.1008 “On Amendments to Some Laws of Ukraine on the Functioning of Judicial Governance” passed the first reading in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

It stipulates, inter alia, the introduction of a new procedure for the formation of the High Qualification Commission of Judges and the establishment of an integrity and ethics commission in the High Council of Justice. In addition, it is proposed to set judges' remuneration under uniform rules for all judges and to expand the categories of positions subject to lustration.

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