Ukraine’s Parliament liquidates court whose chief seen among U.S.-sanctioned individuals

The relevant draft law, No. 5369, was supported by 310 members of parliament, Ukrinform reports with reference to Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a people's deputy with the Holos (Voice) faction.

The law provides for the liquidation of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv. At the same time, it is proposed that the Kyiv City District Administrative Court be established, based in Kyiv. The new court’s territorial jurisdiction shall be extended to the city of Kyiv.

From the date when the law is enforced, the District Administrative Court of Kyiv shall cease any administration of justice. Consideration and resolution of administrative cases in the said court’s jurisdiction shall be entrusted to the Kyiv District Administrative Court until the Kyiv City District Administrative Court launches its work.

As reported, on April 13, 2021, President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada an urgent draft law, No. 5369, "On the liquidation of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv and the formation of the Kyiv City District Administrative Court."

The District Administrative Court of Kyiv is known for a number of resonating judgments, including the cancellation of the new Ukrainian spelling, cancellation of the decision of the Kyiv City Council on renaming Moscow Avenue to Bandera Avenue, recognition as “illegal” of the nationalization of Privatbank, suspension of the process of renaming the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, reinstatement of Roman Nasirov as head of the State Fiscal Service, and others.

Pavlo Vovk, Chairman of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv, was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of State "for soliciting bribes in return for interfering in judicial and other public processes." As part of this action, two of his immediate family members were also designated.