Preliminary Opinion on the Draft Act Amending the Act on the Commissioner for Human Rights of Poland
The scope of this Preliminary Opinion covers only the Draft Act submitted for review, which will also be reviewed within the framework of other provisions of the Act on the Commissioner for Human Rights, as appropriate and relevant. Thus limited, the Opinion does not, however, constitute a full and comprehensive review of the entire legal and institutional framework regulating the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Poland.
Joint Interim Opinion on the Law of Ukraine on the Condemnation of the Communist and National Socialist (Nazi) Regimes and Prohibition of Propaganda of Their Symbols
The scope of this Joint Opinion only covers Law no. 317-VIII, submitted for review by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. It is therefore limited and does not constitute a full and comprehensive review of all the legal acts that were amended by Law no. 317-VIII. This Joint Opinion also does not address the other three laws, together with which Law no. 317-VIII formed a so-called “decommunisation package”, which is the term often applied to the process of dismantling communist legacies in post-communist States.
Opinion on the Qualification Assessment Procedure of Judges of Ukraine
The scope of this Opinion covers only the Qualification Assessment Procedure and Judicial Dossier Regulation, submitted for review. Thus limited, the Opinion does not constitute a full and comprehensive review of the entire legal and institutional framework governing the judicial system of Ukraine and the status and evaluation of judges.
Joint Opinion on the Draft Amendments to Some Legislative Acts Concerning Prevention of and Fight Against Political Corruption of Ukraine
On 22 July 2015, Mr Yehor Soboliev, the Chairperson of the Committee on Corruption Prevention and Counteraction of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine sent a letter to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (hereinafter “OSCE/ODIHR”), in which he asked for a review of draft amendments to Some Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning Prevention of and Fight against Political Corruption (CDL-REF(2015)031), (hereinafter “the draft amendments”) to assess their compliance with international human rights standards. The draft amendments propose changes to seven different Ukrainian legal acts, namely the Code of Administrative Offences, the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the Law on the
Accounting Chamber, the Law on the Elections of the President of Ukraine (hereinafter “Presidential Election Law”), the Law on Political Parties of Ukraine (hereinafter “Political Parties Law”),the Law on Election of Members of Parliament of Ukraine (hereinafter “Parliamentary Elections Law”) and the Law on Prevention of Corruption (hereinafter “AntiCorruption Law”).
Draft Joint Opinion on the Draft Amendments to some Legislative Acts concerning Prevention of and Fight against Political Corruption in Ukraine (September 2015)
OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission welcome the draft amendments as an important improvement to the existing legal framework on political party and campaign financing. Several provisions could benefit from further improvement, in order to ensure that the draft amendments are in line with international standards. This relates, in particular, to provisions in the areas of contribution and spending limits and oversight over political party and campaign financing by regulatory bodies.