Time to renew the Secretariat: how Olena Ponomarenko hinders the effective functioning of the HQCJ

According to information from Automaidan, although the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) underwent a complete reform in 2023, the Secretariat of the Commission has remained unchanged. This continuity has raised concerns about the overall quality and effectiveness of the Commission’s work.

The most pressing issues revolve around the activities of the head of the Secretariat, Olena Ponomarenko.

• Between 2020 and 2022, Ponomarenko allegedly awarded herself and her deputy, Bystrushkin, additional payments. However, only the Head of the HQCJ has the authority to approve such payments, a position that was vacant at the time. This raises concerns about Ponomarenko exceeding her authority, failing to resolve conflicts of interest, and not providing a clear rationale for her actions. Subsequent HQCJ Head, Ihnatov and acting Head Sydorovych opted to overlook these irregularities.
• Currently, local courts face a significant shortage of personnel and are under substantial workload pressure. Ponomarenko is responsible for ensuring that her subordinates efficiently analyse candidates for judicial positions, promptly prepare HQCJ decisions, and submit them to the High Council of Justice (HCJ) for final approval. Unfortunately, in most cases, this work has been superficial, which does not contribute to the progress of judicial reform.
• An interesting case involves two HQCJ employees, Musienko and Bilohrud, who decided to pursue judicial careers. Their exceptionally high scores on tests and practical tasks were far beyond those of other candidates, including judicial assistants who have worked in the field for years. Supposedly, Ponomarenko may have influenced the assessment of her colleagues’ test and practical task results, leading them to secure top positions in the rankings for coveted judicial posts.

A professional and integrity-driven Secretariat is crucial for the effective functioning of the HQCJ. Unfortunately, this cannot be achieved with Olena Ponomarenko as its head. Therefore, renewing the leadership and conducting an open competition for key positions within the Secretariat is essential.

For a more detailed analysis of the successes and failures of the HQCJ, please refer to our full report.