Ukrainians urged to complain about judges

Head of the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine Bohdan Lvov urges the citizens to file complaints to the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine. Absence of complaints makes it impossible to conduct selection of judges in proper way, the Human Rights Information Centre correspondent reports.

“The High Qualification Commission of Judges and the Supreme Council of Justice work now. They have inherited the materials awaiting proceedings for a very long period of time. However, the limitation of conviction of judges has expired. It’s bad, as the judges are not held liable. If someone, either the public, or the legal community, reveals corruption, the complaint should be filed to the High Qualification Commission of Judges or the Supreme Council of Justice, not to the Prosecutor General, the President, or the Prime Minister, who won’t be able to do anything with this information,” Bohdan Lvov noted.

According to him, when the judges are being elected, the Commission has no complaints, no information about their number, which may indicate the quality of their work.

“The Internet is full of accusations, but the High Qualification Commission of Judges has no formal cause for intervention,” the Head of the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine said.

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.