WASHINGTON, Sep 17. The United States is calling on Ukraine to save judicial reform by completing the staffing of expert panels that will select candidates for members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ), State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Washington is concerned about the refusal of the Council of Judges of Ukraine to appoint national representatives to the Ethics Council and the competition commission, without which it is impossible to restore the VKKS.
«The refusal threatens to derail the real judicial reform in Ukraine. But there is still time to save this initiative. The Council of Judges is able to fulfill its obligations to implement the law and nominate candidates,» Price said.
He stressed that the success of the reform will restore Ukrainians' confidence in the judicial system, expand economic opportunities, create new jobs, and contribute to the country's progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration.
Ukraine will not become a NATO member in the next ten years, said the former US ambassador