OSCE Supports Discussion of Constitutional Amendments Affecting Ukraine’s Justice System

KYIV, 21 July 2015 – A round table “Ukrainian Courts: Reset through the Constitutional Amendments” organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCU) in co-operation with several international agencies and civil society organizations took place in Kyiv today.

The roundtable discussion focused on recommendations for amending the Constitution of Ukraine to reform the judicial system. These changes are part of the country’s efforts to bring its institutions in line with European standards.

The meeting was attended by members of parliament, members of the Constitutional Commission, officials from Presidential Administration and Ministry of Justice, representatives of international organizations, foreign and national experts on constitutional law and justice reform, as well as civil society activists.

“OSCE cares about judicial reform because rule of law underpins security, at the international, national and community levels,” said Jeffrey Erlich, Senior Project Officer of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. “Today’s event allowed Ukrainian and international experts to discuss how constitutional reforms to the justice system could better meet international standards, and thus better promote security.”

The purpose of the event was to examine the challenges that may arise in the process of constitutional reform. Invited experts presented relevant experience of the Eastern European countries to explore how it correlates to Ukrainian context. The participants discussed ways how to address these challenges by including relevant safeguards in the transitional provisions to the amended Constitution.

The event is supported within the “Safeguarding Human Rights through Courts” project, funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by the PCU.