Head of Security Service made member of the High Council of Justice

President Yanukovych has appointed Valery Khoroshkovsky member of the High Council of Justice. The President put forward Khoroshkovsky, whom he appointed Head of the Security Service [SBU] shortly after taking office, as candidate immediately after the unexpected resignation from the High Council of the First Deputy Security of the National Defence and Security Council, Stepan Havrysh.

Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Justice Issues gave different assessments. According to Yury Karmazin, the First Deputy Head of the Committee (from Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defence] “It’s not even funniy! He’s not a specialist in this area”.  Deputy Chair of the Committee, and member of the High Council Valery Bondyk (Party of the Regions) says: “Khoroshkovsky is a professional administrator who has demonstrated his ability in customs and in the SBU. The fact that he isn’t a professional lawyer is not important”.

Mr Karmazin expressed concern that President Yanukovych and his party allies control more than half the votes in the High Council of Justice. “The judiciary is subordinated to one political force”. Mr Bondyk agrees but does not consider it a problem.  “Khoroshkovsky will act as the President says. And that is absolutely correct”.

It is proposed as part of judicial reforms to strengthen the role of the High Council of Justice, including to give this body the right to appoint judges to administrative posts.

Serhiy Sidorenko