A dubious competition and a predictable finale: Pampura appointed Head of the State Judicial Administration

Questionable candidates once again take up key positions. As we predicted, on 22 December, the High Council of Justice appointed Maksym Pampura as Head of the State Judicial Administration (SJA). Twelve members of the HCJ voted in favour; only Kandziuba, Kravchenko, and Maselko voted against.

This decision was taken despite the fact that Pampura appears in the case concerning the former Head of the SJA, Oleksii Salnikov, who was sentenced by the High Anti-Corruption Court to three years’ imprisonment for accepting a bribe of USD 7,500, USD 5,000 of which was intended to be passed on to judges of the Cassation Administrative Court within the Supreme Court.

According to the HACC verdict, acting on Salnikov’s instructions, Pampura travelled to the Administrative Court of Cassation to “have conversations” about the status of the case, for a “favourable” outcome of which Salnikov had received the bribe. Pampura confirmed the fact of these conversations, but during the HCJ hearing, stated that he did not remember whom exactly he spoke with or what was discussed.

Pampura’s appointment as Head of the SJA also took place against the backdrop of a critical report by the Accounting Chamber, which identified systemic problems in the work of the body that Pampura had headed for the past two years.

It appears that the winner of the competition had been predetermined. As a result, the integrity check was reduced to a mere formality, while the participation of representatives of international projects in the конкурс commission was used solely to legitimise the process. This will now be presented as compliance with the Rule of Law Roadmap. However, it is highly doubtful that such competitions and appointments bring Ukraine any closer to EU membership.