66% of VAKS rulings were issued without a full trial: The Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigation Commission calls for an independent audit
7 July 18:34
The Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigative Commission, which has concluded a year-long investigation into the activities of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary, has identified a number of systemic problems in the work of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). Among the key concerns are the significant proportion of verdicts handed down on the basis of plea agreements, staffing shortages, risks associated with the automated case-assignment system, and the need for a comprehensive independent audit of the court.
This is stated in the final report of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine’s Temporary Investigative Commission on the investigation of possible acts of corruption or corruption-related offenses within law enforcement agencies, courts, and the judiciary, according to
In the report, the commission notes that an analysis of the High Anti-Corruption Court’s activities revealed a number of problems which, in the opinion of the deputies, require separate assessment and action.
“The Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigative Commission has identified a number of systemic problems in the operations of the High Anti-Corruption Court. Among the main concerns are a shortage of judges, the questionable practice of providing state security to judges and their family members, risks in the operation of the automated case-assignment system, low efficiency in the adjudication of criminal proceedings, a significant number of cases closed due to the expiration of statutes of limitations, as well as the prevalence of plea agreements,” the report states.
Over 66% of verdicts are based on plea agreements
One of the commission’s main findings concerned the structure of the verdicts handed down by the High Anti-Corruption Court in 2025.
According to the TSK, most criminal proceedings were concluded not after a full trial, but through the approval of plea agreements between the parties:
“Particular attention is drawn to the fact that in 2025, the High Anti-Corruption Court, acting as a court of first instance, handed down 109 verdicts (only 3 of which were acquittals)—72 were handed down on the basis of plea agreements, accounting for more than 66% of all the court’s verdicts.”
The commission believes that this practice significantly reduces the number of cases in which the court examines evidence through a full adversarial process.
“In other words, the practice of concluding criminal proceedings through plea agreements predominates, which significantly reduces the proportion of cases in which the circumstances of the offense are examined by the court in an adversarial proceeding,” the document emphasizes.
Funding and International Assistance
In addition to statistics on court decisions, the commission made observations regarding the funding and organization of the High Anti-Corruption Court’s work.
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In particular, the report mentions signs of inefficient use of budget funds and the dependence of certain areas of the court’s activities on international technical assistance.
“The commission also drew attention to signs of inefficient use of budget funds, the high dependence of certain areas of the High Anti-Corruption Court’s activities on international assistance, and the need for an additional assessment of judges’ interactions with representatives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO),” the report states.
Parliamentary Commission Proposes Independent Audit of the Court
Based on the results of the analysis of the Anti-Corruption Court’s work, lawmakers recommended conducting a comprehensive audit of the court’s activities.
“Based on the results of its work, the Commission considers it necessary to conduct a comprehensive independent audit of the High Anti-Corruption Court, strengthen parliamentary oversight, and ensure greater transparency and accountability of the anti-corruption court,” the document states.
Separately, the commission drew attention to the institutional independence of the High Anti-Corruption Court.
According to the deputies, the court cannot be viewed as part of a single “anti-corruption system” alongside NABU and the SAP, since it is the High Anti-Corruption Court that exercises independent judicial oversight over the activities of these bodies.
“The Commission is particularly concerned about the trend toward effectively incorporating the High Anti-Corruption Court into the so-called ‘anti-corruption system.’ The High Anti-Corruption Court is a court, not a law enforcement agency or a prosecutorial body. Its mission is to administer independent and impartial justice. The court cannot be part of a single corporate or institutional community alongside the bodies whose actions it is obligated to review for legality,” the report emphasizes.
Joint Overseas Missions
In the report, the commission specifically addressed the practice of joint international events involving the leadership of NABU, the SAPO, and the High Anti-Corruption Court.
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According to the TSC, the regular participation of representatives from these institutions in joint conferences and overseas business trips may create risks of informal ties forming between agencies that are legally required to exercise mutual oversight.
“The regular participation of the heads of these agencies in joint events, conferences, and overseas business trips creates risks of informal ties forming between officials who, by law, must remain independent of one another. Such a practice raises reasonable doubts regarding the objectivity of procedural oversight, the impartiality of judicial proceedings, and the actual observance of the principle of separation of powers,” the document states.
As reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", the Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigation Commission declared a systemic crisis in the anti-corruption system and forwarded materials concerning the head of the High Council of Justice to law enforcement agencies.
