On 23 February 2018, the annual report of the High Council of Justice “On ensuring the independence of the judiciary in Ukraine in 2017” was presented and discussed in Kyiv.  The event was jointly organised by the High Council of Justice and the Council of Europe project “Support to the implementation of the judicial reform in Ukraine”.

The presentation was attended by the President and judges of the Supreme Court, the Head and members of the High Council of Justice, the Head and members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, Head of the Council of Judges of Ukraine, Rector of the National School of Judges of Ukraine, senior management of the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine, representatives of the Administration of the President of Ukraine, judges of different levels, representatives of civil society and international organisations. The Council of Europe was represented by:
Ms Hanne Juncher, Head of the Justice and Legal Co-operation Department,
Ms Lilit Daneghian, Head of Justice Sector Reform Unit 1, Justice and Legal Co-operation Department, Ms Danutė Jočienė, international expert the Council of Europe, Mr Dmytro Tretyakov, Senior Lawyer, non-judicial rapporteur on Ukraine, Head of the Unit of the Filtering section of the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights, and by representatives of the Council of Europe project “Support to the implementation of the judicial reform in Ukraine”.  

The High Council of Justice prepares its annual report on ensuring the independence of the judiciary in Ukraine in accordance with the law “On the High Council of Justice”, jointly with the judicial self-governance bodies, other judicial organisations and institutions, civil society so as to strengthen the independence and authority of the judiciary in Ukraine. The text of the Report was drafted by the Permanent commission of the High Council of Justice specifically established for this purpose, and further adopted by a decision of the High Council of Justice of 13 February 2018. The Report and the relevant decision of the High Council of Justice are available in Ukrainian at the link http://www.vru.gov.ua/content/act/463_13.02_.2018_.pdf.    

The Report for 2017 is the first official document which systematises and analyses information concerning the independence of the judiciary in Ukraine. Among other questions, the Report looks into the appointment of judges and judicial career, irremovability of judges, financial and organisational guarantees of judicial independence, the balance between the judicial independence and their accountability and other matters.

During the preparation of the Report of the High Council of Justice, Ms Danutė Jočienė who is a Judge of the Constitutional Court of Lithuania and the ex-judge of the European Court of Human Rights, provided the High Council of Justice with her recommendations on the content and the format of the Report. These recommendations were preceded by the consultations of Ms Jočienė with judges of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, members of the High Council of Justice, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the Head of the Council of Judges of Ukraine, and representatives of the Administration of the President of Ukraine.

When speaking about the Council of Europe standards on judicial independence,
Ms Hanne Juncher presented the new Report on judicial independence and impartiality in the Council of Europe member States in 2017. The Report was prepared by the Bureau of the Consultative Council of European Judges at a request of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and it was adopted on 7 February 2018.  The report is available at the link https://rm.coe.int/2017-report-situation-ofjudges-in-member-states/1680786ae1.

WEB LINKS TO THE SEMINAR

http://www.vru.gov.ua/news/3392 - the High Council of Justice

https://supreme.court.gov.ua/supreme/pres-centr/news/437588/ - the Supreme Court

http://nsj.gov.ua/ua/news/metou-nezalejnosti-suddiv-e-bezstoronnist-ih-rishen/ - the National School of Judges of Ukraine