The G7 Ambassadors call on the Congress of Judges to convene and appoint a judge of the CCU

The G7 Ambassadors commend the appointment of a judge to the Constitutional Court by the Parliament through the new selection procedure and urge the Congress of Judges to convene and follow suit.

We echo our international partners and remind that more than two weeks ago, the Advisory Group of Experts ranked the candidates. However, the Council of Judges, led by Bohdan Monich, has delayed convening the Congress.

These delays are unacceptable but not surprising, given the background of the Council’s head. Monich is implicated in the “Vovk tapes”, as reported by the Anti-Corruption Action Centre. He has publicly defended the judges of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv and actively hindered the formation of the Ethics Council, which includes international experts. Monich and his colleagues have a history of appointing their associates to key positions behind closed doors, excluding foreign participation.

We await a response from Monich and the Council of Judges and anticipate a prompt decision on a date for the Congress of Judges. Subsequently, we expect the swift appointment of a new judge to the Constitutional Court.

Additionally, we once again call on all professional and decent candidates to apply for the new competition for the Constitutional Court under the parliamentary quota, announced last week by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.