Ukraine: under pressure, President Zelensky promises major justice reform

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has promised a reform of justice, long demanded by the street and the international community.

(illustrative image) AP - Aaron Chown

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

The Ukrainian president presented on Monday, March 1 at a major national conference reform of the judicial sector, as corruption continues to proliferate and Ukrainians' confidence in judges and courts is still at an all-time low.

After years of inaction, the Ukrainian power finds itself under pressure from the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, but also from the street.

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With our correspondent in Kiev,

Stéphane Siohan

" 

We will reform the justice system, honest and independent courts will operate in Ukraine, and the law will be the same for everyone 

."

These are the words that President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on Monday in front of an audience of officials and representatives of the international community.

Hours later, the media reported that two Ukrainian diplomats had been arrested at the Polish border while carrying 16 kilograms of pure gold and tens of thousands of dollars in cash.

A news item like so many others, unpunished in the past, which continue to upset Ukrainians.

The inability of courts to try corruption crimes, the venality of judges and the lack of separation between the executive and the judiciary are one of the main causes of instability in Ukraine.

From now on, the European Union and the IMF are clearly putting pressure on Kiev, to put in place a functional justice, even if it means putting their financial aid in the balance.

In February, the sentence to 7 years in prison of Serhiy Sternenko, a far-right activist with a sulphurous past, after a criticized trial, was enough to put in the streets, under the president's windows, more than 10,000 demonstrators who were far from being all radicals, but who demanded fair justice.

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• Ukraine

• Justice