“No One Plans to Discontinue the Work of Commissions with International Experts” – Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Olga Stefanishyna

During a DEJURE Foundation conference, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olga Stefanishyna affirmed that Ukraine will not abandon the involvement of international experts in the selection of judges and judicial bodies. “This format (commissions with foreign experts) was introduced to strengthen trust in the institutions being formed,” she stated.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s position aligns with public opinion. More than half of Ukrainians believe that international experts delegated by partner states should have the decisive vote in judicial selection and appointments. This was confirmed by a nationwide survey conducted from February 4 to 9, 2025, by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology and the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation at the request of the DEJURE Foundation.

The decisive voting power of international experts in judicial selection and evaluation commissions is now considered the “golden standard” — a mechanism ensuring truly independent competition and enhancing public trust in the judiciary. Furthermore, continuing to establish courts with the key participation of foreign experts in judicial selection remains Ukraine’s obligation to the EU and international partners.

This was echoed by Asier Santillán Luzuriaga, Head of the European Integration, Governance, Rule of Law, and Civil Society Division at the EU Delegation to Ukraine:

“All successful selection processes have involved a decisive role for international experts. However, we have seen proposals to limit the role of representatives from international institutions, which the EU does not support.”

Speaking at the “Fair Courts: Are We Doing Enough?” conference, the diplomat stressed the importance of demonstrating Ukraine’s serious commitment to the process while ensuring that international experts retain a decisive role. According to him, the quality of the process is more important than the speed of its implementation.

Olga Stefanishyna also emphasized the need to extend the participation of international experts in selection commissions: “At the end of this journey, when we join the EU, European countries must be confident that our institutions are strong and trusted.”