Following interviews conducted by the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) and the Public Council of International Experts (PCIE), 22 candidates for the position of judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) have been identified. Upon successful completion of the next stages, they will assume their duties.
An increase in the number of judges will help accelerate the consideration of high-profile corruption cases and reduce the workload on the current HACC bench, writes Transparency International Ukraine. The organization has been monitoring the selection process since 2024. After the first attempt, when only two judges were appointed instead of 25, TI Ukraine analyzed the issues in the competition and continued advocating for systemic changes for the new stage.
“However, does quantity equal quality in this case? We assessed the information about all 73 candidates to become a judge of the HACC or the HACC Appeals Chamber. We also kept notes of each interview. In our opinion, the determined number of candidates who moved to the next round (interviews with the High Council of Justice) somewhat resembles a compromise. In particular, among those who were admitted to the next stage, there are four candidates whose answers seemed to us extremely doubtful, so we are waiting for the published justifications for the decision of the PCIE and the HQCJ regarding each participant of the competition. Subsequently, this issue will be considered by the HCJ,” says Andrii Borovyk, Executive Director of Transparency International Ukraine.
Why is this important right now?
- Fulfillment of international obligations. The selection of new judges is one of the commitments under the Ukraine Facility Plan. The result of 22 potential judges may indicate that Ukraine has actually fulfilled this clause, demonstrating the dynamics that our international partners and the European Commission expect.
- Quality and transparency of the process. Ukraine has once again proved its ability to carry out complex personnel updates, and the participation of international experts has become an additional guarantee for the trust in the results achieved. The fruitful cooperation of the HQCJ and the PCIE is crucial in this case. We need international experts in selection procedures so that the high bar is not lowered by unlawful political influences.
- Institutional capacity. In the context of a full-scale war and the need to constantly strengthen public bodies, effective justice in corruption cases is an important safeguard against abuse. Subject to successful completion of the next stages of the competition, the new judges will strengthen the HACC as an institution and justify the trust granted to them by the PCIE.
According to Transparency International Ukraine, the competition was held to a high standard and demonstrates Ukraine’s capacity to carry out complex personnel updates while maintaining its course toward reforms and independent justice.
NAKO started as a joint initiative by Transparency International Defence & Security and Transparency International Ukraine from 2016 to 2019. Since 2019, NAKO has been working as an independent organization that is a strategic partner of Transparency International.