Intl organizations present lists of experts for nomination to Independent Selection Commissions within HCJ and HQCJ of Ukraine

KYIV. Sept 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Representative offices of international organizations and diplomatic departments of the United States, Germany, Great Britain and Canada in Ukraine have formed lists of experts for their selection and appointment to the Ethics Council within the High Council of Justice (HCJ) and the Selection Commission within the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) of Ukraine.

According to the official joint statement of the Delegation of the European Union, the U.S. Embassy, ​​the German Embassy, ​​the Canadian Embassy, ​​the British Embassy, ​​the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, the UN Development Program, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which was announced in Friday, the lists have already been submitted to the Acting Chair of the High Council of Justice of Ukraine.

"Today, international partners presented to the Acting Chair of the High Council of Justice two joint lists of international experts […]. All experts have superior credentials and experience as senior judges, prosecutors, and leading experts on judicial ethics, selection, and anti-corruption," the officials said in the joint statement.

It is noted that the nominations reflect the ongoing commitment of international organizations "to support key reforms aimed at strengthening the rule of law, attracting foreign investment for business and economic growth, and advancing Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations."

"The temporary but crucial role of international experts, alongside Ukrainian judges, in vetting and selecting members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges and the High Council of Justice, aims to restore public trust in judicial institutions, resist the influence of vested interests, and defeat judicial corporatism," the international organizations said in the statement.

Representatives of international organizations remind that the High Qualification Commission of Judges is the single institution that is empowered to select new judges in order to fill the many vacancies in the Ukrainian courts of law organization authorized to select new judges to fill vacancies in the courts of Ukraine, and the High Council of Justice is the highest judicial governance body in Ukraine that nominates judges for presidential appointment.

"International partners have fulfilled their commitment, in line with relevant provisions of the law, by nominating highly-qualified international experts, who stand ready to devote their expertise and knowledge to support Ukraine, and Ukraine’s judiciary, in this historic reform," the officials said in the joint statement.

It clarifies that the list of candidates for the role of representatives of international organizations in the Ethics Council within the High Council of Justice includes Former U.S. Judge, lawyer and anti-corruption expert Robert Cordy; British Former Judge, expert in confiscation of proceeds of crime Sir Anthony Hooper; Former Prosecutor General of the Republic of Estonia, an expert in combating corruption and financial crime Lavly Perling; Former General Public Prosecutor of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia, representatives of German law enforcement in the EU and at the international stage Walter Selter; Former American Judge, former Chief Justice of the Florida State Supreme Court, specialist in the fight against corruption in the judiciary, international judge at the U.S.-Iranian Claims Tribunal in The Hague Rosemary Barkett and Former Judge from Slovenia, former Minister of Justice, President of the European Center for Resolution disputes Ales Zalar.

In addition, the list of candidates for the role of representatives of international organizations in the selection committee of the High Qualification Commission of Judges includes Former British Judge, specialist in adjudicating cases related to terrorism Sir David Calvert-Smith; Former Director of the California Judicial Performance Commission and international consultant on judicial corruption, judicial ethics and discipline Victoria Henley; Former Judge of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, practicing lawyer and adviser to international projects in combating corruption Tilman Hoppe; Former Prosecutor of the Anti-Fraud Department of the Netherlands Prosecutor’s Office, international expert in combating corruption and fraud, lawyer Robert Broekhuijsen; Former Judge of the Guatemalan Appeals Judge, Corruption and Virtue Violation Specialist Claudia Escobar; Former Chief Justice of the U.S. State of Michigan, Lawyer, Expert on the Selection of Judges for U.S. Federal Courts, Former Chief Counsel of the Judicial Committee of the U.S. Senate Stephen Markman; Lawyer, anti-corruption policy consultant, international expert in judicial reform Laura Stefan and Former Judge of the Royal Bench of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, lawyer with experience in private and public law Ted Zarzeczny.

After the statement was made public, European Union Ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas said on his Twitter that he is "very proud of the list of our experts to the bodies to vet and select Ukrainian judges."

"Their professional qualifications and history proves that international partners take the judicial reform in Ukraine very seriously, ready to contribute. Can’t wait to see the Ukrainian list," the diplomat said.