Thursday, June 2, 2016

Ukraine’s Corrupt Judges Targeted in Constitutional Reforms

 
Reuters, 02/06 15:34 CET

By Alexei Kalmykov and Alessandra Prentice

KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s parliament approved on Thursday judicial reforms that Western backers say are needed to fight corruption, in the first constitutional vote the ruling coalition has pushed through since an overhaul of the government in April.

Bribery in the court system is seen as a major obstacle to Ukraine’s broader reform effort under a $17.5 billion (12.11 billion pound) International Monetary Fund bailout programme that political infighting has threatened to derail.

The bill, which aims to curb political influence on the appointment of judges and limit their immunity in case of malpractice, was backed by 335 lawmakers, 35 more than the required votes needed for changes to the constitution.

The result was welcomed by Ukraine’s international backers, including the United States and the European Union, which along with the International Monetary Fund have urged Kiev to step up its fight against corruption. 

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Source: euronews.

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