29 June 2021, Tuesday, 19:06 118

Rada Gives International Organizations Decisive Vote In Selection Of Candidates For Members Of HQCJ

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

The Verkhovna Rada gave international organizations a decisive vote in the selection of candidates for members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ).

A total of 293 MPs voted for the adoption of bill No. 3711-d "On Amendments to the Law "On the Judicial System and the Status of Judges" and some laws of Ukraine regarding the resumption of the work of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine," Ukrainian News Agency reports.

The bill returns the norm that the High Qualification Commission of Judges consists of sixteen members, eight of whom are appointed from among judges or retired judges.

The selection of candidates for members of the HQCJ is carried out by a competitive commission on integrity issues.

The first composition of the competition commission is formed of three persons from among judges or retired judges proposed by the Council of Judges of Ukraine, and three persons proposed by international organizations, which, in accordance with international or interstate agreements, over the past five years have provided Ukraine with international technical assistance in the field of judicial reform and/or prevention and combating corruption.

Such international and foreign organizations agree on a proposal for a common list of candidates.

The decision of the first composition of the competition committee is adopted if at least four members of the competition committee voted for it, two of which were proposed by international organizations.

In case of the same number of votes "for" and "against", the votes of three members of the competition committee, of which two are proposed by international organizations, are decisive.

To support the activities of the first composition of the competition commission and the work of its members, the competition commission may involve additional experts and specialists proposed at its request by international organizations, which, in accordance with international or interstate agreements, over the past five years have been providing Ukraine with international technical assistance in the field of judicial reform and/or preventing and combating corruption.

Funding for the activities of such experts and specialists is carried out at the expense of international and foreign organizations.

Such experts and specialists have access to all documents and information related to the holding of a competition for the position of a member of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, and they are subject to all restrictions determined by this law for members of the competition commission.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Verkhovna Rada authorized the High Council of Public Justice to determine the number of judges in courts on the proposal of the State Judicial Administration and to resume the work of the High Qualification Commission of Judges.