Batkivshchyna and OPZZh push to eliminate international experts from selection commissions

Members of the Batkivshchyna Party (BYuT) and Opposition Platform – For Life (OPZZh) are openly siding with the enemy, seeking to eliminate international experts from selection commissions for judges and other public institutions. On December 20, these MPs appealed to the Constitutional Court to assess the constitutionality of foreign involvement in the formation of state bodies — a move with clear roots in Russian influence.

Early in the full-scale invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that “there is no independent judiciary in Ukraine” and criticized the Ukrainian government for supposedly granting international organizations decisive influence in the selection of top judicial officials.

The MPs are challenging various laws that involve international experts in selection and oversight bodies, including Ukraine’s laws on the Constitutional Court, the High Council of Justice (HCJ), the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC), and the Prevention of Corruption, among others.

Their motives are clear. The participation of international experts, who often hold a deciding vote in these commissions, represents a “gold standard” of transparency and integrity. This mechanism ensures genuinely independent selection processes and bolsters public trust in the judicial system. Furthermore, Ukraine’s commitment to involving international experts in judicial selection is a key obligation to the European Union and other international partners.

The inclusion of foreign experts has yielded demonstrable success. For example, the Public Council of International Experts (PCIE) played a pivotal role in advancing Ukraine’s judicial reform by blocking nearly all low-integrity candidates during the formation of the HACC.

This development also raises questions about the stance of Vice Prime Minister for European Integration Olha Stefanishyna, who recently announced plans to phase out international experts as part of Ukraine’s European integration roadmap. Is her position aligned with Ukraine’s interests or inadvertently aiding the enemy’s agenda?

The case presents a critical test for Constitutional Court reform. The commission responsible for selecting two new Constitutional Court judges included international experts. Now, Constitutional Court judges face a simple but profound choice: to stand with Ukraine or to align with those who undermine its sovereignty and reforms.