Zelenskyy signs law on new administrative courts: fulfillment of IMF requirement and step towards judicial reform
30 September 18:30
on September 30, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Law No. 13302, which provides for the establishment of Specialized District and Appellate Administrative Courts in Kyiv, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
These institutions will have nationwide jurisdiction and will hear cases against the highest authorities – the Cabinet of Ministers, ministries, and other central bodies.
How the courts will be formed
- The High Qualification Commission of Judges will announce a competition for the positions.
- An expert council will be set up to check the integrity and professionalism of candidates. It should prevent the repetition of scandalous practices that have undermined confidence in administrative justice for years.
Why it is important
The creation of a new High Administrative Court was a condition of the memorandum with the International Monetary Fund at the end of 2023.
In fact, it will replace the Kyiv District Administrative Court (KDAC), which was liquidated in 2022 after years of allegations of corruption and political manipulation.
The KDAC case
The NABU is investigating the activities of the former head of the KDAC, Pavlo Vovk, and several other judges. They are suspected of:
- systemic corruption,
- making politically motivated decisions,
- attempts to influence the distribution of power in the state.
Vovk has become a symbol of the “judicial system that survives under any government” and has become the personification of resistance to reforms.
What’s next
In the coming weeks, the HQCJ is to announce a competition, and the launch of the new institutions will be a test for judicial reform. At the same time, the process of appointing judges will be closely monitored not only by Ukrainian society but also by international partners
