Constitutional Court protests against political pressure
The Constitutional Court has stressed that interference in its work by political forces is unacceptable. A statement made public by the Chair of the Court on 10 May expressed concern over the situation which has arisen over the work of the Courts judges. Judge Dombrovsky stated that the courts work had to some extent been obstructed by the meetings outside the court building which had continued for many days.
The judges, he said, were also concerned by the Presidents decrees dismissing their colleagues, as well as by the intention expressed on Thursday by the coalition to suspend the mandate of a number of judges of the Constitutional Court who are seen by the parliamentary majority as being loyal to the President.
On Thursday President Yushchenko dismissed a third judge, Volodymyr Ivashchenko who had been appointed as part of the Presidents quota under President Kuchma in 2001. The other two judges dismissed were Suzanna Stanik and Valery Pshenychny. All three judges were dismissed for “infringements of their oath”.
The issue of the Constitutional Court judges was also considered on Thursday in the Verkhovna Rada.