On 18 March, the High Council of Justice reviewed 39 HACC candidates and filed a motion with the President of Ukraine on appointment of 35 judges. The motion includes 22 judges, 11 attorneys and 2 scholars, who will form the High Anti-Corruption Court and the Appeal Chamber.
Two more HACC candidates and two Appeal Chamber candidates are “paused” as of now. The decision on attorneys Yevhen Kruk and Markiian Halabala, as well as teachers Serhii Bodnar and Volodymyr Tsikalo, will be made by 28 March.
Among the finalists, there are 7 lawyers from the “55 unworthy” list compiled by civil society organizations. They include judges Inna Bilous, Andrii Bitsiuk, Volodymyr Voronko, Viktor Maslov, Oksana Oliinyk and Valeriia Chorna, attorney Serhii Moisak.
Overall, the HCJ was interested in the candidates’ experience in the criminal justice, the reasons for low income and the level of stress resistance. Among other things, the Council had questions to Ternopil judge Inna Bilous, who made the decision on prohibition of peaceful assembly during the Revolution of Dignity. The teacher from the “55 unworthy” list Volodymyr Tsikalo had to answer questions about the administrative protocol issued about him for DUI. At the same time, HCJ members did not question how Valeriia Chorna’s mother purchased an apartment for UAH 2.4 million in 2016.
Earlier, the Public Council of International Experts blocked 42 candidates of questionable integrity. Afterwards, the High Qualification Commission of Judges excluded 12 more judges from the final list.
As a reminder, on the High Qualification Commission of Judges defined the final list of HACC and Appeal Chamber candidates.
