Scandal in the TSC: MPs investigating "judges’ corruption" themselves lobbied for amendments that allowed relatives of HQCJ and HCJ members to win competitions

Scandal in the TSC: MPs investigating "judges’ corruption" themselves lobbied for amendments that allowed relatives of HQCJ and HCJ members to win competitions

Yes, you’re not mistaken, Mr. Buzhanskyi is smoking something right during the meeting. And Mr. Pavlyuk allows himself to cheerfully chat with someone on the phone.

This commission supposedly investigates facts of corruption in law enforcement agencies, courts, and judicial authorities. But in reality, they are settling personal scores.

After all, how can one trust a commission that includes Buzhanskyi? How can one trust a commission whose expert council includes lawyer Kravets from the “KDAC tapes”?

One of the issues that the Temporary Special Commission (TSC) is allegedly “investigating” is the competition for appellate courts conducted by the High Qualification Commission of Judges.

Mr. Vlasenko talks about “relatives of HQCJ and HCJ members” who became winners of the competitions and even expresses outrage that HCJ members are among the winners for key appellate courts.

However, there is one small nuance. All of this could have been avoided two years ago. During the consideration of draft law No. 10140-d in November 2023.

Yet back then, MPs Vlasenko and Mamka opposed any bans on HCJ and HQCJ members participating in judicial competitions. It was they who submitted amendments No. 17 and No. 19, proposing to remove restrictions for HCJ and HQCJ members regarding participation in competitions for judicial positions.

The AntAC publicly warned about the risks and harmful provisions of this draft law. Our position was supported by some MPs who submitted amendments to prohibit HQCJ, HCJ, Public Council of Integrity members, and employees of the Judicial School from participating in competitions. This would have eliminated conflicts of interest and prevented the emergence of “insider” candidates in the system.

But the Committee, headed by MP Maslov, did not support these proposals. And now, members or relatives of HQCJ and HCJ members are among the winners of judicial competitions.

The AntAC has also repeatedly drawn the attention of the HQCJ to the need to ensure transparent procedures for conducting competitions for judicial positions.