On July 11, 2024, the Steering Committee Meeting of the EU Project “Pravo-Justice III” was held with the Deputy Chairman of the Commission Ruslan Sydorovych taking part therein.
The participants of the meeting gathered to discuss the first report of the third phase of the Project, as well as to summarize the results of cooperation with the Ukrainian authorities in the field of justice and the judiciary.
Judicial Reform Component Lead Volodymyr Chaban, noted that over the past six months, the Project has provided various assistance to the Commission. For example, the HQCJU received technical office equipment (laptops and powerful industrial printers) and a set of photo and video equipment to ensure high-quality external communication. In addition, expert opinions on internal regulations and expert support in the development of certain documents were provided.
Mr. Sydorovych thanked the EU Project “Pravo-Justice” for its systematic support to the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine. In his speech, he highlighted the challenges faced by the Commission, in particular the lack of judicial personnel. Answering the Project experts’ questions about the critical situation in the courts of appeal, Ruslan Sydorovych gave examples of courts where there are only a few judges authorized to administer justice. He informed about the competition to the courts of appeal and the Commission’s plans to conduct tests of relevant knowledge and practical tasks. Regarding the cognitive skills test, Mr. Sydorovych noted the intensive joint work of the Commission and international experts on this issue.
The Deputy Chairman of the Commission emphasized that in just under a year of work, the body has provided recommendations for the appointment of 416 individuals to the positions of judges for the first time, which is an extremely effective result of work in such a short period.
Deputy Team Leader of the Project Olha Sribniak, noted the results and plans of the Commission’s work and assured of further support for the body.
The event was attended by representatives of the EU Project “Pravo-Justice” – Team Leader of the Project Oksana Tsymbrivska, Senior International Expert, Fight Against International Crimes Sub-Component Lead Tinna Goletiani, Enforcement and Protection of Property Rights Component Lead Iryna Zharonkina, Senior International Expert, Support to EU Integration Process in the Justice Sector Component Lead Virgilijus Valančius. The European community was also represented by the Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Ukraine Stefan Schleuning and Sector Manager of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Alban Biaussat.
The Ukrainian authorities were represented by: Deputy Minister of Justice on European Integration Liudmyla Suhak, Chairman of the Supreme Court Stanislav Kravchenko, Chairman of the High Council of Justice Hryhoriy Usyk, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Legal Policy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Pavlo Pavlish, Deputy Head of State Judicial Administration of Ukraine Leonid Sapelnikov, Deputy Prosecutor General Viktoriia Litvinova, Head of the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors Andrii Hnativ, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksiy Movchan, Deputy Head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine Oksana Osmachko, Deputy Head of the Association of Private Enforcement Officers Andrii Avtorhov, Director of the Coordination Centre for Free Legal Aid Oleksandr Baranov.