(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Ukraine would change a key feature of their justice system, according to a poll by the Kiev Gorshenin Institute of Management Issues. 41.4 per cent of respondents think judges should be elected for a definite term by people.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Ukraine would change a key feature of their justice system, according to a poll by the Kiev Gorshenin Institute of Management Issues. 41.4 per cent of respondents think judges should be elected for a definite term by people.
Conversely, 19.8 per cent of respondents want judges to be appointed by higher authorities, while 24.5 per cent see no substantial difference between either option, and 14.2 per cent are undecided.
According to Ukrainian law, judges are appointed by presidential decree for a period of five years, after which the Supreme Council confirms them for life. The prerogative is meant to insulate judges from politics.
Between April and May, Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko fired two judges from the Constitutional Court, accusing them of corruption. Ukrainian prime minister Viktor Yanukovych criticized the measures and called them "unconstitutional."
On Oct. 10, Thomas Hammarberg—commissioner for human rights of the Council of Europe—called upon Ukraine to salvage the autonomy of its Constitutional Court saying, "All politicians should respect the independence of the court. It is absolutely important. Otherwise, the Constitutional Court will be used as the political means for this or that political group."
A series of public demonstrations took place in Kiev after the November 2004 presidential run-off. The Ukrainian Supreme Court eventually invalidated the results of the second round, and ordered a special re-vote. Opposition candidate Yushchenko—whose supporters wore orange-coloured clothing at events and rallies—received 51.99 per cent of all cast ballots, defeating Yanukovych.
Polling Data
In your opinion, how should courts be formed?
|
Judges should be elected for a definite term by people |
41.4% |
|
Judges should be appointed by higher authorities |
19.8% |
|
I see no substantial difference |
24.5% |
|
Difficult to answer |
14.2% |
Source: Kiev Gorshenin Institute of Management Issues
Methodology: Interviews with 2,006 Ukrainian adults, conducted from Sept. 13 to Sept. 27, 2007. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.
