The President of the Supreme Court Valentyna Danishevska Met with the Director and Secretary of the Venice Commission Simona Granata-Menghini

On September 9, 2021, the President of the Supreme Court Valentyna Danishevska met with the Director and Secretary of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission) Simona Granata-Menghini.

During the meeting, the role of the opinions of the Venice Commission in the law-making process of Ukraine was discussed. Despite the fact that the opinions of the advisory body of the Council of Europe are of a recommendatory nature for Ukraine, they constitute the main guideline for the compliance of the draft law with European standards and values.

Valentyna Danishevska thanked the Venice Commission for the attention paid to our country within the framework of reforms.

The President of the Supreme Court informed her European colleagues about the state and further prospects of judicial reform in Ukraine. This process was resumed with the entry into force of the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges" and Some Laws of Ukraine to Resume the Work of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine (HQCJ)", adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on July 13, 2021.

Valentyna Danishevska noted the interest of the judicial system for the HQCJ to start working as soon as possible. After all, the resumption of the work of the key human resources body of the judicial system will ensure a qualitative solution of the problem of acute staff shortage in the courts of first and appeal instances. According to the President of the Supreme Court, it is the selection to the first and appeal instances that should become a priority task for the newly created HQCJ.

However, the introduction of the law concerning the activities of the High Council of Justice (HCJ) has certain risks. The HCJ is a constitutional body, so all changes concerning the Council's activities and all new procedures must comply with the Basic Law.

According to Simona Granata-Menghini, the Venice Commission is aware of the complexity of the processes related to the implementation of the legislation on the judiciary and the status of judges, and the consequences that these processes may have for the judiciary as a whole. She assured that the Venice Commission would monitor the further development of the situation and, if necessary, provide all possible assistance.