One of the greatest obstacles to Ukraine’s prosperity is the lack of much-needed reform in the justice system. A chief promise of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s election was that change would come, and integrity could finally be found in Ukraine’s judicial system—but concerns remain as to the seriousness of these reform efforts. With a delayed start to a new High Qualification Commission of Judges—which is responsible for hiring judges in Ukraine—and ongoing questions as to the integrity of Ukraine’s overhauled Supreme Court and the High Council of Justice, it’s clear that now more than ever the Ukrainian government needs to prioritize judicial reform. Ukraine has long sought to attract foreign investment and integrate with global markets—but none of that prosperity can come without the basic bedrock of a reliable justice system.
Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine; Andriy Kozlov, an attorney and former member of the High Qualification Commission of Judges; Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a member of parliament and first deputy chair of the Anticorruption Committee; and Mykhailo Zhernakov, a former judge and the head of DEJURE Foundation discuss how Ukraine’s most urgent need, judicial reform, can again be prioritized in Ukraine. The event is moderated by Melinda Haring, deputy director of the Eurasia Center.
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The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting policies that strengthen stability, democratic values, and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe in the West to the Caucasus, Russia, and Central Asia in the East.