The Constitutional Court of Ukraine faced a staffing problem: the Council of Europe called for accelerating the appointment of judges

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine raised the issue of ensuring the full-fledged work of the institution under martial law. Representatives of the Council of Europe stressed the need for timely appointment of judges who have passed the competitive selection, as the effectiveness of constitutional justice and protection of citizens’ rights depend on this.

Personnel issues discussed at the Constitutional Court

A meeting was held at the Constitutional Court of Ukraine between the Acting Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Oleksandr Petryshyn, and the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, Valentyna Falko.

The discussion was also attended by judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Yuriy Barabash, Viktor Kichun, Oleg Pervomayskyi, and Halyna Yurovska, as well as the Head of the “Constitutional Justice” component of the joint program of the European Union and the Council of Europe, Suzanne Mnatsakanyan.

The main topics of the meeting were ensuring the continuous work of the Constitutional Court, staffing of the institution, and further international cooperation.

Oleksandr Petryshyn stressed that the support of European partners is of particular importance during a full-scale war, when state institutions must ensure the stability of the legal system.

The Council of Europe stressed the need to appoint judges

The Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, Valentyna Falko, drew attention to the importance of ensuring the authority of the Constitutional Court.

According to her, one of the necessary steps is the timely appointment of judges who have successfully passed the competition procedures provided for by law.

This is important for the proper administration of constitutional justice, consideration of constitutional complaints and ensuring legal certainty.

At the same time, the message does not specify how many judges the Constitutional Court currently lacks and what terms for filling vacant positions are being considered.

Why is this important for Ukrainians?

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine exercises constitutional control, in particular, it decides on the compliance of laws and other legal acts specified by the Constitution with the Basic Law.

In addition, citizens, under the conditions established by law, may file constitutional complaints with the Constitutional Court of Ukraine if they believe that the law of Ukraine applied in the final court decision contradicts the Constitution.

Therefore, proper staffing of the Court is important for the timely consideration of cases and the implementation of mechanisms for the constitutional protection of human rights.

What changes are planned within the framework of cooperation with the Council of Europe?

During the meeting, the parties discussed the prospects for cooperation within the framework of the new Action Plan of the Council of Europe for Ukraine “Democratic Security for Ukraine” for 2027–2030.

Among the priority areas were identified:

Strengthening the institutional capacity of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

Providing expert support.

Implementing European standards for the protection of human rights and judicial integrity.

Improving the accessibility of constitutional justice.

Improving the mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of decisions of the Constitutional Court.

Representatives of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine also emphasized the need to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure the rule of law in the context of Russian armed aggression.

What next?

Following the meeting, representatives of the Constitutional Court and the Council of Europe identified the main areas of further cooperation.

They plan to pay special attention to the development of constitutional justice, strengthening the independence of the Court, and improving mechanisms for protecting human rights.