The Parliament adopted the President’s recommendations on the draft law on the reform of the High Qualification Commission of Judges

Today, on July 13, Verkhovna Rada supported the Presidential recommendations to the vetoed draft law № 3711-д on the launch of the High Qualification Commission of Judges and granted international experts a casting vote in the selection of the HQCJ members.

On June 29, Verkhovna Rada adopted the draft law №3711-д on the restart of the High Qualification Commission of Judges in the second reading. The draft law stipulates that the Selection Commission of the HQCJ will consist of six members: three current or retired judges and three independent international experts.

During the second reading of the draft law, the MPs adopted two controversial amendments to it: № 453 on the casting vote of international experts in the selection of the HQCJ and № 409 on the imitation of this process.

On July 8, the President vetoed the draft law due to conflicting amendments and recommended that Parliament retain the text of the №453 amendment, which gives international experts a casting vote in the Selection Commission, as called for by the NGOs and international partners. Today, the Parliament supported these recommendations of the President.

“It is good that the President and MPs listened to the calls of the Venice Commission and leading NGOs. In the context of the High Anti-Corruption Court, we can see that the involvement of international experts can overcome the frankpledge in the judiciary and create a truly independent institution.

DEJURE Foundation will closely monitor the progress of the competition for HQCJ”

– Stepan Berko, Advocacy Manager of the DEJURE Foundation

Today, the Parliament will consider the draft law № 5068 on the reform of the High Council of Justice in the second reading. NGOs claim that without the № 733 amendment, the draft law will not be able to reform the High Council of Justice.