International experts initiate veto on eight candidates for Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Court

Such a decision was made at the first meeting of the PCIE on January 4, according to the Anti-Corruption Action Center.

According to the report, these candidates include Oksana Holub, Anatoliy Kviatkovsky, Anatoliy Zahorodniy, Ihor Shtulman, Yuriy Kulinich, Dmytro Tishko, Taras Zayets and Yevhen Martynov.

"According to international experts, there are reasonable doubts regarding the compliance of these candidates with the criteria for selecting judges for the future High Anti-Corruption Court," the report said.

It noted that the PCIE should now contact the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine (HQCJ) to hold a joint meeting to invite the candidates and conduct a vote on their meeting the criteria for integrity and professionalism.

"If nine HQCJ members and three of the six PCIE members do not confirm a candidate's suitability, he or she will not be able to qualify for a judge's post," the center said.

The report notes that the first meeting of the PCIE was attended by its chairpersons Sir Anthony Hooper, Flemming Christian Denker and Aurelijus Gutauskas, while Ted Zarzeczny, Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska and Lorna Harris joined the communication via a web conference.

The center recalled that at the end of December the HQCJ had published a list of candidates for the High Ant-Corruption Court who successfully passed the exams.

The Public Council of International Experts has the time until January 26 to veto doubtful candidates.

The High Qualification Commission of Judges will, at its discretion, select the winners of the competition among the remaining candidates.

According to paragraph 1, Article 9, of the law of Ukraine on the High Anti-Corruption Court, the PCIE is formed for the period of six years by the HQCJ to assist it with the preparation of decisions on the appointment of judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court and is considered a subsidiary body of the HQCJ.