Enhancing cooperation with the Supreme Court is a key priority for the OSCE, as an efficient and effective judiciary is the foundation of a democratic society

The OSCE is a reliable partner of the Supreme Court, and this long-standing cooperation has always had a concrete practical focus. In these extremely difficult times, the presence of the Organisation's representatives in Ukraine is evidence of strong international support, which is very important for our country.

This was stressed by the President of the Supreme Court, Stanislav Kravchenko, during a meeting with the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship – Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Marcel Peŝko.

The President of the Supreme Court congratulated the Ambassador on his appointment, wished him success in his work and thanked the OSCE for its support in the implementation of projects and joint activities.  

Stanislav Kravchenko said that despite the war, courts at all levels and in all jurisdictions continue to administer justice, while it is now crucial to strengthen the capacity of courts to adjudicate war crimes. 

The President of the Supreme Court also noted that Ukraine, and in particular its judiciary, continues to work towards meeting the requirements for the start of EU accession negotiations and to implement the necessary reforms. He also outlined the general state of the administration of justice in the context of the war and highlighted the challenges facing the judiciary. The most acute of these, given the caseload and the tendency to increase the workload of judges, is the lack of staff. There is also an urgent need to restore court buildings that were damaged, destroyed and looted by the occupation forces.

Marcel Peško assured that the OSCE would continue to support the Supreme Court, the implementation of judicial reform and the strengthening of democratic institutions in Ukraine. Continuing and deepening cooperation with the Supreme Court is a key priority for the OSCE, as an efficient, effective and trustworthy judiciary is the foundation of a democratic society. Therefore, the OSCE will continue to work on strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ukrainian judiciary, which is crucial not only for EU membership, but also for maintaining the system in an effective state.

According to the Ambassador, the fact that Ukrainian courts continue to function in the face of the challenges and threats posed by the war deserves international recognition. It is therefore important to raise the awareness of the international community about the experiences and specificities of the work of the Ukrainian judicial system.

As a result of the discussion, Stanislav Kravchenko and Marcel Peško identified key areas for further cooperation between the Supreme Court and the OSCE.

Other participants of the meeting included Nataliia Stupnytska, Head of the Democratization, Good Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights Component of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, Olha Kravchenko, Project Manager of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine "Assisting the Supreme Court and higher courts in implementing judicial reform and ensuring access to justice in times of war", Rasim Babanly, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Supreme Court, and Lina Hubar, Head of the Division for International Legal Cooperation.