SC President Met with the Venice Commission Representatives to Discuss the Draft Law No. 3711

President of the Supreme Court Valentyna Danishevska held an online meeting with representatives of the Venice Commission within the assessment of the draft Law No. 3711 “On Amending the Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges” and Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Operation of the Supreme Court and Judicial Governance Bodies” conducted by the Venice Commission upon the request of Ukrainian party.

President of the Supreme Court has further underlined the priority of renewing the work of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, which has not been functioning for about a year.

“For a long time we have been in a state, when there is no body to solve key issues of the HR policy of the judiciary. Almost 200 judges have dismissed since the beginning of the year. 30 % of judicial staff have right to retirement. Presently, there are more than 30 % of vacant positions in courts, – Mrs. President informed and resumed: – This problem makes it impossible to carry out entrusted functions by the judicial system”.

The SC President remarked that another important issue of the draft Law No. 3711 consisted of ensuring the guarantees of judges of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, who had been remaining without their authority for the third year.

In its judgment as of 18 February 2020 the Constitutional Court of Ukraine entrusted the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to solve the issue of transferring judges of the Supreme Court of Ukraine to the SC. Valentyna Danishevska noted that the failure to solve this issue was costly for Ukraine.

Hanna Suchocka, Honorable President of the Venice Commission, Nicolae Eşanu Rapporteur of the Venice Commission, Gerhard Reissner, international expert of the Council of Europe Directorate General of Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Schnutz Rudolf Dürr, Head of Division of the Constitutional Justice, Secretariat of the Venice Commission, Silvia Grundmann, Head of Division of the Democratic Institutions and Fundamental Rights, Secretariat of the Venice Commission, Olena Lytvynenko, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, and Lina Hubar, Head of the Division for International and Legal Cooperation of the Supreme Court, participated in the meeting.