OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine organizes training for judges of the country's new administrative courts

KYIV, 3 June 2005 - New standards of administrative justice and administrative law were the focus of a five-day training course which ended today in Kyiv.

Organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the Academy of Judges of Ukraine, it brought together 42 judges of the country's newly created administrative court system, including judges of the High Administrative Court of Ukraine.

Speakers from the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, as well as authors of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure, took part in the course, focusing on European standards and principles of the rule of law and public liability.

The new court system allows citizens and other legal entities to secure and protect their rights in interactions with the public administration.

"This training was essential to prepare the future judges of Ukraine's administrative courts," said Ihor Koliushko, Director of the Center for Political and Legal Reforms. "A training manual for judges based on this and subsequent training courses will be published and will aid judges in their important work as guardians of human rights in Ukraine."

This was the first in a series of training courses for Ukrainian judges organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.