Ukrainians support petition for competitive selection of judges

It is suggested selecting judges through transparent competition, simplifying judicial system, and eliminating political influence on the courts.

As stated on the website of the President of Ukraine in the section of e-petitions, the proposal has been already supported by more than 25,000 people. According to the legislation, the petition, which gains such a number of votes within three months, is to be considered by the President.

The petition, which was filed on September 9, proposes to completely renovate the judiciary following the example of the patrol police, revealing transparent competition for each position of a judge.

“An independent ad hoc commission involving lawyers with excellent reputation, held in complete respect of society, should assess conformity of the candidates (both judges in office and other candidates for the post of the judge) with the criteria of honesty, impeccable reputation and the ability to administer justice in the protection of human rights. These changes should be carried out along with simplification of the judicial system and legal proceedings, the complete elimination of political influence on the court,” reads the text of the petition.

The President is asked to submit such a mechanism for consideration of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the draft law on amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on judiciary.

The petition was initiated by Mykhailo Zhernakov, ex-judge of the Vinnytsia District Administrative Court.

According to the Tyzhden (Week) Ukrainian weekly, Zhernakov wrote the appeal to President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in February with a request to dismiss him because of disagreement with the reform model of the courts proposed by the Presidential Administration, which, in his opinion, “preserves the existing system.” Now Zhernakov is a member of the NGO “Reanimation Package of Reforms.”

As reported, the e-petition for the right to bear firearms collected 27,605 votes out of 25,000 required. The President of Ukraine said that he supported mechanism for e-petitions, but noted that the only 11% of Ukrainians supported legalization of firearms, while 82% opposed it. October 27, the initiator of the e-petition, the proponents and opponents of arms legalization are going to discuss the content of the petition.