Ukrainians trust public and international experts rather than judges to select judges – the survey

Almost half of Ukrainians surveyed believe that judges should be selected by independent public experts – investigative journalists and other civil society representatives. Slightly less than 30% assign this role to independent international experts. Ukrainians expressed the least confidence in the selection of judges to judges and politicians themselves.

This is shown by a study conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation together with the Razumkov Center’s sociological service at the request of the DEJURE Foundation on August 3 to 9, 2021.

“This result shows, first of all, how important public participation is in the selection of candidates for positions in courts and judicial authorities. We hope that the competition for the HQCJ and the HCJ reform will start soon, and we urge all investigative journalists and civil society activists who have covered the cases of judges of low integrity for years to get involved in the process and inform/remind the general public as well as the Selection Commission to the HQCJ and the Ethics Council of the HCJ about the findings.”

-says Mykhailo Zhernakov, Chair of the Board of the DEJURE Foundation.

The top five reasons for citizens’ distrust of the courts include corruption (78%), the dependence of judges on oligarchs (51.3%), paid court decisions (46.2%), mutual cover-up in the judiciary (43.3%). and dependence on politicians (41.8%).

In the meantime, more than 50% of Ukrainians support the liquidation of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv, headed by judge Pavlo Vovk, who is suspected of forming a criminal group and seizing power.

The study was conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation together with the Razumkov Centre’s sociological service from August 3 to 9, 2021 in all regions of Ukraine except the occupied territories. The error does not exceed 2.3%.

The study was conducted with the financial support of the International Renaissance Foundation and the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the DEJURE Foundation and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Foundation or the Embassy.