Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine participated in a discussion on ensuring the independence of judges in Ukraine
Today, June 24, Serhiy Holovaty, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, and Viktor Gorodovenko, Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, participated in the Expert Discussion of the Annual Report of the High Council of Justice on Ensuring Independence of Judges in Ukraine in 2019, which was held via videoconferencing.
In her opening remarks, Hanne Junker, Head of the Department of Justice and Legal Cooperation of the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe welcomed the participants, wished them fruitful work and constructive discussion.
Hanne Junker gave a positive assessment to the decisions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, in which the Court declared unconstitutional certain provisions of the laws of Ukraine on the activities of judicial authorities and Article 375 of the Criminal Code (on criminal liability of judges for delivery of a “knowingly unjust” decision), as well as to the decisions of the Court on judicial reform.
The Head of the Department of Justice and Legal Cooperation of the Council of Europe emphasised that these decisions of the Constitutional Court had a positive effect on strengthening the independence of the judiciary in Ukraine. “The decisions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine clearly indicate that judicial reform can continue only if it does not contradict the Constitution of Ukraine and takes into account the leading European standards in this area,” said Hanne Junker.
The event was organised by the High Council of Justice together with the Council of Europe project on further support for the execution by Ukraine of judgments in respect of Article 6 of the European Court on Human Rights.
