The ‘Law on Submitting Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine (Regarding Justice)’ entered into force, marking the start of the judicial reform in this country.
The Parliament approved the bill on June 2; on June 24, President Poroshenko signed it.
The bill foresees the following basic principles:
- Every Ukrainian citizen has the right to turn to the Constitutional Court;
- Prosecutor General’s tenure is increased from 5 to 6 years in office; no person can take this post for two consecutive terms;
- Jurisdiction of courts includes any legal argument or any legal charge. Courts also may consider other cases (if applicable by the law);
- The Supreme Council of Justice will be disbanded; it will be substituted by the Supreme Council of Public Justice, which will enjoy more authority than its predecessor. The Supreme Council of Public Justice will decide whether to sack a judge or transfer him to other court; give its consent for detention or arrest of a judge, and decide if a judge should be suspended from doing justice.
As we reported yesterday, the Verkhovna Rada dismissed 29 oath-breaking judges out of 33 during their special meeting, called upon the appeal of the President Petro Poroshenko. The voting was conducted a day before the judiciary reform's coming into effect on September 30. Due to this reform, Ukrainian parliament will not be authorized to dismiss the judges from now on, the High Justice Council, which is to be initiated yet by re-organizing the Supreme Council of Justice. At that the reform does not stipulate the basis for dismissing oath-breaking judges.
