G7 Ambassadors Present Roadmap for Judicial and Anti-Corruption Reforms in Ukraine

The G7 Ambassadors presented a roadmap for judicial and anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine. The proposals also concern changes in the work of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU), whose headline-making decisions, according to the Ambassadors, pose a serious threat to the country’s democratic development. The document was developed at the request of the Ukrainian side, the UK Presidency of the G7 Ambassadors’ Support Group in Ukraine posted on its Twitter account.

“Late last year, our Ukrainian partners asked for G7 Ambassadors’ advice on steps to strengthen anti-corruption institutions and reform the judiciary, responding to the problems caused by the decisions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in late October and previously. We were happy to provide this advice to our partners, and are now sharing it more widely,” the statement reads.

The roadmap recommends that Ukraine urgently reestablish anti-corruption provisions and ensure that all nominations to key judicial and law enforcement bodies are transparent.

Taking into account the recent decision of the CCU, it is proposed to establish a firm legal basis as soon as possible for the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) that ensures its institutional independence and enables it to continue operating effectively without interruption. The document sets out recommendations for the work of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) in the context of ensuring appropriate sanctions for inaccuracies in asset declarations.

At the same time, the Ambassadors noted that the provisions aimed at restoring liability for inaccurate or unfiled asset declarations adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on 4 December “do not have a sufficiently deterrent effect and thus would not be an effective tool in preventing corruption.”

The document also contains recommendations for the work of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU), the High Council of Justice (HCJ), the High Qualifications Commission of Judges (HQCJ), the Public Integrity Council (PIC), and the Supreme Court.

In particular, it is proposed to temporarily institute a modest increase in the decision-making quorum of the CCU; postpone ongoing selection procedures for CCU judges until new selection rules are introduced; ensure the meaningful participation of internationals in vetting all candidates, and strengthen ethical requirements for CCU judges.

In addition, the G7 Ambassadors propose to strengthen judicial accountability by adopting clear rules, standards, and processes for investigating and adjudicating complaints of judicial misconduct.

Bohdan Marusyak