On 21 March 2017, the event “Functioning of the Public Integrity Council: discussing current issues and challenges” was held in Kyiv, Ukraine. This activity was organized by the Council of Europe project “Support to the implementation of the judicial reform in Ukraine” jointly with the All-Ukrainian non-governmental organization «Ukrainian Bar Association» and the USAID «New Justice» Program.

The Head and members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, Co-chair and members of the Public Integrity Council, judges, scholars and practicing lawyers attended the event and participated in the discussion. The main questions of the agenda were the following: the Council of Europe standards and recommendations on the evaluation of judges’ work and on the role of civil society in this process; professional ethics and integrity as criteria of judicial competences in European practices and in national legislation; the algorithm of gathering and processing of information by the Public Integrity Council.

The focus of the activity was on the presentation by the international expert of the Council of Europe of the Draft opinion on the Rules of procedure of the Public Integrity Council and their compliance with the Council of Europe standards and recommendation. The draft opinion in question was prepared by Ms Diana Kovatcheva, Deputy Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria, Doctor of International Law and International Relations, international expert of the Council of Europe.

In her Draft opinion, the expert emphasized the following:

• the importance of clear and objective criteria for determining eligibility of a judge (judicial candidate) in terms of criteria of professional ethics and integrity for the purposes of qualification assessment;
• striking the balance between confidentiality of qualification assessment of judges and publicity of procedures for selection of judges in the context of the Council of Europe standards;
• importance of an early development and publication of the methodology of gathering and processing of information by the Public Integrity Council, as well as other matters.

The event was preceded and followed by the consultations of Ms Diana Kovatcheva and the representatives of the Council of Europe project “Support to the implementation of the judicial reform in Ukraine” with the members of the Public Integrity Council, the Head and members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the Head and members of the High Council of Justice.

Following the consultations and the public discussion, the draft opinion will be finalized and published.

The Council of Europe project “Support to the Implementation of the Judicial Reform in Ukraine” is funded by a contribution from the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It aims at ensuring further compliance of the Ukrainian system of judiciary with the standards and recommendations of the Council of Europe.

WEB LINKS TO THE EXPERT DISCUSSION EVENT

http://vkksu.gov.ua/ua/news/konkurs-do-ws-wkksu-ta-grd-obgoworili-pitannia-spiwpraci/  - High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine

http://uba.ua/ukr/news/4897/ - All-Ukrainian non-governmental organization «Ukrainian Bar Association»