Official opening of the EU Project “PRAVO-Justice” was held
On 18 June 2018, the Chairman of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine Mr. Sergii Koziakov participated in the official opening of the EU Project “PRAVO-Justice”, aimed at supporting justice sector reforms in Ukraine.
The EU Project “PRAVO-Justice” is a logical extension of the EU Project “Support to Justice Sector Reforms in Ukraine”, which had been implemented in 2014 –2017. The main objectives of the Project are monitoring and evaluating the justice sector, supporting the reform of enforcement proceedings and the process of re-launching the judiciary in general. Beneficiaries of the Project are the High Council of Justice, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine, the National Association of Advocates of Ukraine, the Association of Private Bailiffs of Ukraine, the Notary Chamber of Ukraine.
Opening speeches were delivered by the Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Mr. Hugues Mingarelli, the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Justice Mr. Ihor Benedesiuk, the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Coordinator of the Judicial Reform Council Mr. Oleksiy Filatov, the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of France in Ukraine Mr. Christophe Le Rigoleur, the Deputy General Director of the Expertise France Ms. Anne de Soucy.
In his speech, the Chairman of the HQCJ thanked the EU Project for its active participation in the judicial reform and its support for Commission’s activities. “During the last two years, the EU assistance was not only needed but was provided professionally and on time. During the competition to the Supreme Court, and now, in the process of the qualification evaluation, the stage of the psychological testing is being successfully carried out thanks to your operational assistance”, said Mr. Sergii Koziakov. He emphasized that psychological testing for judges was used only in four countries, and the competition and the qualification evaluation were the basis of all personnel decisions.
“In the coming months we have to work together on many tasks: the second competition to the Supreme Court and the competition to the IP Court, it is necessary to start and complete the competition to the High Anti-Corruption Court, to complete the qualification evaluation and the competitions to courts of appeals”, added the Chairman of the Commission.
Mr. Sergii Koziakov also drew attention to the fact that now the Commission was an institution in the judiciary, which was organizationally built on European principles and modern managerial level.
The official opening of the Project was attended by representatives of state bodies, judges of the Supreme Court, international experts, representatives of international donor organizations, civil society, and the media.
Reference:
The EU Project “PRAVO-Justice” aims at consolidation of sector-wide justice reforms in Ukraine. The Project involves experts from the various EU Member States and beyond and will continue until the end of 2020. Among other activities, the Project assists Ukrainian authorities in the judiciary reset and selection of new Supreme Court judges, the creation of the Judicial Reform Council, restructuring of MOJ, reform of registers and e-justice, setting up of probation service etc.
