Germany advises Ukraine to implement judicial reform as soon as possible

He said this at the 4th Ukraine Reform Conference, which is taking place in Vilnius, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Germany believes that the biggest driver of the reform process is to carry out judicial reform as soon as possible. Effective de-oligarchization, anti-corruption structure, establishing the rule of law - all these principles must be achieved in order for the population to gain trust and confidence in the judiciary. This, in turn, will lead to increased investment," Berger said.

He added that it is the oligarchs who stand in the way of introducing the rule of law in the state, while President Volodymyr Zelensky has made judicial reform a priority. The process, according to Berlin, is moving in the right direction with the support of the Verkhovna Rada.

Berger drew attention to the importance of the election of highly qualified judges of the Constitutional Court. In his opinion, international experts should be involved in the process "to ensure a proper quorum and independence, objectivity and honesty." The diplomat also expressed confidence that more than 2,000 highly qualified judges would be able to help transform Ukraine into a state governed by the rule of law.

"Germany is an ally of Ukraine in the reform process and supports it to a large extent," Berger said. He said that Germany would continue its efforts to achieve peace in eastern Ukraine and implement long-term reforms.

He also recalled that President Volodymyr Zelensky would visit Berlin on July 12.

The Ukraine Reform Conference was launched in London in 2017 as a format for uniting the efforts of partners and friends of Ukraine. The participants in the forum discuss the situation in the country and assess democratic transformations and reforms that have been conducted since 2014. The conference was then convened in Copenhagen in 2018 and in Toronto in 2019.

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