On April 16, 2024 the conference “The Decade of Transformation, Towards a Future of Integrity: EU-supported Anti-Corruption & Rule of Law Reforms in Ukraine” was held in Kyiv. The event was co-organized by the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative and the EU Project “Pravo-Justice” under the auspices of the European Union. The High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine was represented by the Deputy Chairman of the Commission Ruslan Sydorovych.
Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Ukraine Ole Egberg Mikkelsen and Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the French Republic in Ukraine Benjamin Roehrig made a presentation on the key stages of reforms in the rule of law and fight against corruption in 2014-2024.
During the event, the Head of the largest EU programme in the field of preventing and combating corruption in Ukraine, EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine (EUACI) Allan Pagh Kristensen informed the participants about the plans for the third phase of EUACI. Today, the programme is actively supporting the Commission in establishing a new composition of the Public Council of International Experts and its future activities within the framework of the announced selection of judges to the High Anti-Corruption Court, as well as other expert assistance.
The Leader of the EU Project “Pravo-Justice” Oksana Tsymbrivska, presented plans for its new third phase – “Support to Justice Sector Reforms in Ukraine (PRAVO-JUSTICE III)”. On April 02, 2024, the HQCJ and the Project signed an updated Memorandum on Cooperation aimed at consolidating joint efforts to ensure fair, high-quality and transparent procedures for selecting judicial candidates, initial training for judges and carrying out qualification evaluation of judges.
During the panel discussion dedicated to the rule of law, Ruslan Sydorovych recalled the procedures currently being carried out by the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine. He highlighted the role of the Commission in selecting the judiciary that will meet not only the criteria of professionalism but also high standards of integrity.
The event was attended by heads of state authorities, international partners, experts and civil society representatives. In particular, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Kornienko, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Iryna Mudra, Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention Viktor Pavlushchyk, Chairman of the High Council of Justice Hryhorii Usyk, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin, Head of the European Union Advisory Mission in Ukraine Rolf Holmboe, Director of the Governance Department of “Expertise France” Matthieu Discour, Deputy Head of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative Iryna Shyba, Executive director at Anticorruption Action Centre Daria Kaleniuk.