Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Government's judicial reform draft

"The Cabinet of Ministers approves the concept of judicial reform, so that Ukrainian courts finally become independent and administer justice not in the name of US dollar but in the name of Ukraine", Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasised at a government meeting on Wednesday, 21 October.

"The main problem that exists today in Ukraine in terms of protecting the rights and freedoms of a man and citizen - is the courts," the Prime Minister underlined.

Judicial reform, proposed by the Government and supported by the President, lies in the need for a complete reset of all the courts, the Prime Minister stressed: "This means that Ukraine should hire new judges on the same principle as the new National Police of Ukraine has been established."

"The first element of the judicial reform is the rebooting of the judiciary, election of new judges on independent and transparent competition, as well as the formation of new Ukrainian courts," stressed ArseniyYatsenyuk.

The second element of judicial reform, according to him, - is the formation of "solely a three-level judicial system," which consists of local courts, appeal courts and the highest court in the country under the Constitution - the Supreme Court of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister has noted that the lion's share of cases must be solved in the local courts to prevent people "from expecting for decades a final decision of the court in order to defend themselves and their rights."

The Prime Minister has underlined that today the authorities that elect and monitor the judges are not deprived of political influence: "The third element of our judicial reform envisages a complete deprivation of political influence both the High Council of Justice and other bodies that exercise control over the judiciary, election and appointment of the courts."

A governmental draft of judicial reform also provides that the structure and system of courts shall be determined solely by the laws of Ukraine.

"We believe that the President, Parliament and Government are united in achieving an independent judiciary that will protect the interests of citizens and businesses and will provide a fair trial according to the law," the Prime Minister pointed out.

"We have no time for this. The faster will be conducted the corresponding constitutional changes, the sooner Ukraine will settle one of the key problems of corruption - corruption in the judiciary," Arseniy Yatsenyukhighlighted.

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