December 17, 2024
Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Galyna Yurovska participated in the round table discussion “Promoting Integrity and Professional Ethics of Judges: Achievements, Challenges and Further Steps” held on December 13-14, 2024. The event brought together the representatives of the judiciary, civil society, academics, and international experts, discussed key issues, including judicial integrity and professional ethics. The event was made possible by the USAID Justice for All Program, the High Council of Justice, and the Council of Judges of Ukraine.
In her speech, Judge Galyna Yurovska emphasised the importance of compliance with judicial ethics. She emphasised that the ethical behaviour of judges should ensure the objectivity and impartiality of their activity and contribute to the enhancement of the credibility of justice.
Galyna Yurovska also drew attention to the issue of integrity assessment during the competitive procedures. She noted that such an assessment should be objective and based on clear criteria that guarantee the selection of specialists with an impeccable reputation and a high level of professionalism.
Attention was also paid to the need for a balanced approach to transparency of competition procedures. The Judge underlined that transparency is an important tool for trust in the selection process, but it should be applied in a proportionate manner to avoid violating the candidates’ right to personal data protection.
The Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine also pointed out the importance of the selection of Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine procedure, which plays a key role in ensuring the effective work of the Court. Galyna Yurovska also underscored the importance of the work of the Advisory Group of Experts, which selects candidates for the positions of Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. At the same time, she noted that after the termination of the powers of three Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in January 2025, there is a risk of suspension of the work of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine due to the lack of a quorum, which may occur if new Judges are not appointed in a timely manner. Galyna Yurovska underlined that timely selection and appointment of the Court’s Judges is important for maintaining its independence and effectiveness.
During the two-day event, the participants discussed current trends in judicial integrity protection, as well as resolving ethical dilemmas faced by judges, court staff, and members of judicial governance bodies during the selection process. Considerable attention was paid to the analysis of normative gaps that complicate the enforcement of ethics in the judiciary. Representatives of international organizations, including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and USAID, shared their experience of implementing best practices in different countries, which may be useful for adaptation in Ukraine.
In addition, successful training programs for judges and lawyers aimed at raising awareness of professional ethics standards were presented during the round table.
Liudmyla Kakaulina, Head of the Corruption Prevention and Detection Sector of the Court’s Secretariat, and Vira Nazarova, Scientific Consultant to the Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, also participated in the event.
