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2.4​ ​Zelenskiy signs off on controversial judicial overhaul bill
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy signed on November 4 a judicial overhaul bill​ that was criticized by Western diplomats for threatening the independence of Ukraine’s judicial institutions. The law on judicial governance halves the number of Supreme Court judges to 100, introduces a new procedure for forming the High Judges Qualifications Commission, reduces the commission’s membership to 12 from 16, and creates a virtue and ethics commission for the High Justice Council. All members of the High Judges Qualifications Commission are dismissed, with 90 days for the High Justice Council to appoint new ones. The bill was drafted and submitted by the President’s Office.
Recall, the EU Delegation to Ukraine ​issued an October 17 statement criticizing​ the legislation, particularly those clauses reforming the Supreme Court, which it said contradicted European standards. Also expressing their concern with the legislation were the Canadian, German and British ambassadors to Ukraine. In an October 15 statement, they raised concern about the law’s repeat selection of Supreme Court judges and reducing their number “without a clear procedure and in an unclear term.” It also questions the measure to subordinate the High Judges Qualifications Commission under the unreformed High Justice Council.
Supreme Court of Ukraine Chief Justice Valentyna Danishevska firmly opposed the legislation, calling for President Zelenskiy to veto his own bill in an interview published on October 16 on the​radiosvoboda.org​ news site. “This so-called reform foresees one goal – to replace people,” she said. “The approval of such a law obviously crosses out the guarantees granted to judges by the Constitution. I would want for the state’s leaders to know about such a principle of the independence of judges as their irreplaceability. That is, a judge can’t simply be dismissed.” She said the reform is aimed at undermining the court’s independence ahead of crucial rulings on the Privatbank nationalization and special elections to be held on the occupied territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
2.5​ ​US attempts to block China’s purchase of Motor Sich military engine factory
The​ ​US authorities are in talks over possible acquisition of Ukraine's Motor Sich​, the world’s largest producers of airplane and helicopter engines​, with the aim to prevent a group of Chinese companies from acquiring the firm, according to the ​Wall Street Journal.
The talks allegedly lead by Erik Prince, a private security contractor and informal adviser to US President Donald Trump. The Trump administration has approached Prince and at least one other potential buyer from the private sector to acquire the firm that possesses sensitive technologies.
Prince has been meeting with Ukrainian officials in recent months and visited the factory in Zaporizhia, accompanied by US acting ambassador William Taylor and Defence Department adviser Donald Winter, the WSJ reported on November 5.
8​ UKRAINE Country Report​ December 201 ​ ​www.intellinews.com