Ukraine’s President petitioned to reform judiciary on model of police

The e-petition for reforming the judiciary through open competition and eliminating political influence on judges has been registered on the website of the President of Ukraine.

“The level of public confidence in the courts is extremely low. Society requires decisive actions to renew the judiciary. The new patrol police are the successful example of renewal and this approach should also be applied to the judges,” reads the petition.

Its author, judge of the Vinnytsia District Administrative Court Mykhailo Zhernakov, is sure that the only effective way to cleanse the judiciary is to set up a new system of courts and hold transparent competition for all judges. The judge suggests that the President should introduce appropriate amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine.

“An independent provisional commission, involving trustworthy lawyers with impeccable reputation, should estimate the candidates (both judges in office and other candidates for the post of judge) by criteria of fair practice, impeccable reputation, and ability to administer justice in defense of human rights,” signers of the petition urge.

They also insist on full elimination of political influence on the judges.

As of September 10, the petition is signed by more than 400 citizens. President of Ukraine considers the electronic petitions, which gather at least 25,000 signatures within three months upon the date of publication.

As reported, the experts note that, despite the conclusions of the Venice Commission, the amendments retain a layered and intricate judicial system, do not provide for renewal of the judiciary, and step up the dependence of the judges on political bodies, in particular, on the president.

Only 9% of Ukrainians trust the Ukrainian courts, according to results of the poll, conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation.

Earlier, head of the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine Bohdan Lvov urged the citizens to file complaints to the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine as absence of complaints makes it impossible to conduct selection of judges in proper way.