Transparency International Ukraine welcomes the completion of the legislative framework for the High Anti-Corruption Court. The Ukrainian chapter of the global anti-corruption organization is from now on focusing on transparency of formation of the Public Council of International Experts and competition for the positions of judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court.

On 2 August 2018 President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed the Law “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On Judiciary and the Status of Judges’ in Connection with Passage of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the High Anti-Corruption Court.” With this step, all legislative hurdles for creation and effective work of the High Anti-Corruption Court have been eliminated. What is important, this document eliminates the shortcomings of the Law “On the High Anti-Corruption Court” pertaining to appeal review. All appeals on cases under the jurisdiction of the HACC will be reviewed only in the Anti-Corruption Court in the future – even those which are currently in general jurisdiction courts.

Transparency International Ukraine welcomes this step. Despite long fierce debates among various stakeholders, the final variant of the Law is consistent with the interests of the Ukrainian society.

The Ukrainian chapter of the global anti-corruption network Transparency International will now focus on transparency of processes directly connected with formation of the HACC. We will be closely following and informing the society on the selection and appointment of the Public Council of International Experts and the competition of judges to the future High Anti-Corruption Court. We urge other civil society organizations and journalists to join this process. The experience of NACP, SAPO and NABU attests to the fact that the issue of human resources is critical at the stage of formation of future anti-corruption agencies. And it is precisely the professionalism and integrity of future HACC judges that the punishment of grand corruption will rely on in the future.

Contact for media: Oleksandr ArgatHead of Communication Department

Transparency International Ukraine

Phone: + 38 093 844 24 81

E-mail: [email protected]

Transparency International Ukraine is a national chapter of Transparency International, an anti-corruption NGO which operates in more than 100 countries. TI Ukraine’s mission is to limit the increase of corruption in Ukraine by promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity in both the public authorities and civil society. You can learn more about the organization’s activity on the website www.ti-ukraine.org