Social and Legal Studios
ISSN 2617-4162
e-ISSN 2617-4170
Publisher: Lviv State University of Internal Affairs
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate potential ways to improve the legal system of Ukraine using European standards and practices. The study analysed the history of the rule of law in Europe, compared legal systems, studied legal reforms in Ukraine, analysed statistical data, and identified the principal issues of the Ukrainian legal system. It was found that although Ukraine has made great strides towards preventing corruption since independence, the countryʼs legal system still requires considerable changes. It was also found that the current state of the European rule of law shows mixed trends. On the one hand, countries such as Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Germany continue to hold the top positions in global rankings of the rule of law and anti-corruption measures, showing stable results in terms of protection of fundamental rights, law enforcement, and compliance with the law. On the other hand, countries such as Poland and Hungary have begun to demonstrate considerable levels of corruption and political instability, continuing to occupy low positions in global rankings. It was established that the greatest influence on the development of the modern Ukrainian democratic state from the standpoint of the European understanding of the rule of law was exerted by Germany, specifically its experience in reforming the legal system after the Second World War; Sweden, namely, the models of transparency and public control; Finland and Denmark with their approaches to law enforcement and compliance with laws, as well as anti-corruption measures. Furthermore, these countries not only demonstrate successful models of the rule of law, but also actively support Ukraine in implementing such standards through various technical aid programmes and expert advice
Keywords: rule of law; integrity; state institutions; reforms; political system
Suggested citation
[1] Åslund, A. (2023). Reconstruction, EU accession, and reform of Ukraine. In R.Z. Aliber, M. Gudmundsson & G. Zoega (Eds.), Fault lines after COVID-19: Global economic challenges and opportunities (pp. 149-164). Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1007/978- 3-031-26482-5_9.
[2] Bogaards, M. (2018). De-democratization in Hungary: Diffusely defective democracy. Democratization, 25(8), 1481-1499. doi: 10.1080/13510347.2018.1485015.
[3] Burns, J.H. (1988). The Cambridge history of medieval political thought c. 350 – c. 1450. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CHOL9780521243247.
[4] CEU Democracy Institute. (2024). Petra Bard: Rule of law backsliding in the European Union. Retrieved from https:// democracyinstitute.ceu.edu/articles/petra-bard-rule-law-backsliding-european-union.
[5] Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. (2009, December). Retrieved from https://www.citizensinformation. ie/en/government-in-ireland/european-government/eu-law/charter-of-fundamental-rights/.
[6] Chernetchenko, O.M., & Grebenyk, V.I. (2024). Social rights legal regulation in states of central and Eastern Europe (1870s-1930s). Legal Bulletin, 1(11), 99-108. doi: 10.31732/2708-339X-2024-11-A14.
[7] Council of Europe. (2024). Effectiveness of the ECHR system at national and European level. Retrieved from https://www.coe.int/ en/web/civil-society/effectiveness-of-the-echr-system-at-national-and-european-level.
[8] de Montesquieu, C.L. (1989). The spirit of the laws. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[9] De Witte, M. (2022). Putin sees Ukrainian democracy as threat, undermines his sense of the Russian mission, Stanford historian says. Retrieved from https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2022/03/putin-sees-ukrainian-democracy-threat-undermines-russias- mission.
[10] European Commission for Democracy Through Law. (2020). Respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law during states of emergency: Reflections. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
[11] European Commission. (2024). Ukraine: EU report notes continued implementation of the reform agenda though challenges remain. Retrieved from https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/ukraine-report-2024_en.
[12] European Convention on Human Rights. (1950, November). Retrieved from https://www.echr.coe.int/documents/d/echr/ convention_ENG.
[13] Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. (2020). The Federal Councilʼs anti-corruption strategy 2021-2024. Retrieved from https:// www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/fdfa/publikationen.html/content/publikationen/en/eda/schweizer-aussenpolitik/Strategie_ BR_gegen_Korruption_2021-2024.
[14] Ferry, L., Ruggiero, P., & Midgley, H. (2022). Where is public sector auditing: A comparative analysis. In L. Ferry & P. Ruggiero (Eds.), Auditing practices in local governments: An international comparison (pp. 149-159). Leeds: Emerald Publishing Limited. doi: 10.1108/978-1-80117-085-720221016.
[15] Fisher, H.D. (2009). The German legal system and legal language: A general survey together with notes and German vocabulary. London, New York: Routledge-Cavendish.
[16] Freedom House. (2023). Nations in transit 2023: War deepens a regional divide. Washington: Freedom House.
[17] Freedom House. (2024). Freedom in the world 2024: Norway. Retrieved from https://freedomhouse.org/country/norway/ freedom-world/2024.
[18] Gora, A., & de Wilde, P. (2022). The essence of democratic backsliding in the European Union: Deliberation and rule of law. Journal of European Public Policy, 29(3), 342-362. doi: 10.1080/13501763.2020.1855465.
[19] Halmai, G. (2019). The possibility and desirability of rule of law conditionality. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 11(1), 171-188. doi: 10.1007/s40803-018-0077-2.
[20] James, M. (2011). Alternative dispute resolution and the rule of law in international development cooperation. Retrieved from https://cdm21069.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/ppl1/id/59826/.[21] Jeong, M.-J., Rheem, S.-M., Park, Y.-H., Nurtazina, R., & Tkach, M. (2024). Loss and damage of Ukraine’s cultural heritage: Actions of the Russian Federation today compared to Germany during World War II. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 81(1), 84-92. doi: 10.1080/00207233.2024.2314850.
[22] Judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Case No. 15318/89 “Loizidou v. Turkey”. (1996, December). Retrieved from https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-58007%22]}.
[23] Kapsa, I., Luengo, Ó.G., & Musiał-Karg, M. (2021). E-voting and transformation of participation in Europe: Exploring the profile of e-voters in Poland. In Ó.G. Luengo & M. Musiał-Karg (Eds.), Digitalization of democratic processes in Europe: Southern and Central Europe in comparative perspective (pp. 11-29). Cham: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-71815-2_2.
[24] Kelemen, R.D. (2020). The European Unionʼs authoritarian equilibrium. Journal of European Public Policy, 27(3), 481-499. doi: 10.1080/13501763.2020.1712455.
[25] Kostiuk, V., & Iryna, I. (2024). Effectiveness of international legal instruments to combat corruption. Scientific Journal of the National Academy of Internal Affairs, 29(2), 18-31. doi: 10.56215/naia-herald/2.2024.18.
[26] Lauren, P.G. (2011). The evolution of international human rights: Visions seen. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
[27] Law of Ukraine No. 1402-VIII “On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges”. (2016, June). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada. gov.ua/laws/show/1402-19.
[28] Law of Ukraine No. 1700-VII “On the Prevention of Corruption”. (2014, October). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/ laws/show/1700-18.
[29] Law of Ukraine No. 1798-VIII “On the High Council of Justice”. (2016, December). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/ laws/show/1798-19.
[30] Law of Ukraine No. 2229-VIII “On Preventing and Combating Domestic Violence”. (2017, December). Retrieved from https:// zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2229-19#Text.
[31] Law of Ukraine No. 3153-IX “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”. (2023, June). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/ laws/show/3153-20.
[32] Lomaka, V.S. (2022). Legal culture of society in the context of European integration. Problems of Legality, 159, 105-128. doi: 10.21564/2414-990X.159.268418.
[33] Magna Carta. (1215, June). Retrieved from https://magnacartaplus.org/magnacarta/latin.htm.
[34] Mangas, A. (2022). The European Unionʼs response to the Catalan secessionist process. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 16(1), 63-88. doi: 10.1007/s40803-024-00202-x.
[35] Miliienko, O. (2023). Examining administrative court actions to mitigate issues of internal displacement resulting from ineffective government policies. JUS Rivista di Scienze Giuridiche, 5, 223-257. doi: 10.26350/18277942_000150.
[36] Motkin, A. (2023). Ukraineʼs Diia platform sets the global gold standard for e-government. Retrieved from https://www. atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/ukraines-diia-platform-sets-the-global-gold-standard-for-e-government/.
[37] Nordic Co-operation. (2022). New report: Digitalization of courts strengthen the rule of law. Retrieved from https://www.norden. org/en/news/new-report-digitalization-courts-strengthen-rule-law.
[38] Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1049-r “On Approval of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Open Government Partnership Initiative in 2023-2025”. (2023, February). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/ en/1049-2023.
[39] Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. (2024). Rule of law. Retrieved from https://www.osce.org/rule-of-law.
[40] Pech, L., & Kochenov, D. (2019). Strengthening the rule of law within the European Union: Diagnoses, recommendations, and what to avoid. Retrieved from https://reconnect-europe.eu/news/policy-brief-june-2019/.
[41] Pech, L., & Scheppele, K.L. (2017). Illiberalism within: Rule of law backsliding in the EU. Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies, 19, 3-47. doi: 10.1017/cel.2017.9.
[42] Polish law. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CP%5CO%5 CPolishlaw.htm.
[43] Rating. (2024). All-Ukrainian survey by the International Republican Institute. Retrieved from https://ratinggroup.ua/research/ ukraine/absolyutna-bilshist-ukrayinciv-virit-u-peremogu-nad-rosiyeyu-pidtrimuyut-chlenstvo-v-yes-ta-nato.html.
[44] Razumkov Centre. (2024). Attitude to foreign countries, international organisations and politicians, and Ukraineʼs accession to the European Union. Retrieved from https://razumkov.org.ua/en/research-areas/surveys/attitude-to-foreign-countries- international-organisations-and-politicians-and-ukraine-s-accession-to-the-european-union-january-2024.
[45] Resolution of the European Parliament No. 2023/2739(RSP) “On the Sustainable Reconstruction and Integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic Community”. (2023, June). Retrieved from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9- 2023-0247_EN.html.
[46] Schabas, W.A. (2015). The European Convention on Human Rights: A commentary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/ law/9780199594061.001.0001.
[47] Semeniuk, S., & Horbach-Kudria, I. (2024). Administrative legal principles of human rights-based approach by the police. Law Journal of the National Academy of Internal Affairs, 14(3), 87-97. doi: 10.56215/naia-chasopis/3.2024.87.
[48] Sher, R.B. (2008). The enlightenment and the book: Scottish authors and their publishers in 18-century Britain, Ireland, and America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.[49] Spytska, L. (2023). Inheritance of power in the XXI century: Legal mechanisms for the transfer of presidential powers to controlled viceroys and family members in authoritarian regimes. Law of Justice Journal, 37(2), 178-206. doi: 10.5335/rjd. v37i2.14929.
[50] Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. (2024). Sidaʼs work in Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.sida.se/ en/sidas-international-work/countries-and-regions/ukraine.
[51] Treaty of Lisbon. (2009, December). Retrieved from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/5/the-treaty-of- lisbon.
[52] UN Women. (2022). Understanding of masculinity and gender equality in the security sector of Ukraine international men and gender equality survey special edition: Security sector in Ukraine. Retrieved from https://ukraine.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2022/02.
[53] United Nations. (2024a). Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine. Retrieved from https://ukraine.ohchr.org/sites/ default/files/2024-12/PR41%20Ukraine%202024-12-31.pdf.
[54] United Nations. (2024b). Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine: 1 March to 31 May 2024. Retrieved from https:// volksanwaltschaft.gv.at/en/preventive-human-rights-monitoring/human-rights-advisory-council.
[55] Vitvitsky, B. (2022). Building a better Ukraine: Rule of law is essential for post-war prosperity. Retrieved from https://www. atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/building-a-better-ukraine-rule-of-law-is-essential-for-post-war-prosperity/.
[56] Vlasenko, V. (2024). Legal reservations in fulfilling the purpose of the European principle of legal certainty on the example of Ukrainian legislation. Law Journal of the National Academy of Internal Affairs, 14(3), 33-42. doi: 10.56215/naia- chasopis/3.2024.33.
[57] Waelbroeck, M., & Oliver, P. (2018). Enforcing the rule of law in the EU: What can be done about Hungary and Poland? Retrieved from https://blogdroiteuropeen.com/2018/02/09/enforcing-the-rule-of-law-in-the-eu-what-can-be-done-about-hungary-and- poland-part-ii-michel-waelbroeck-and-peter-oliver/.
[58] World Justice Project. (2023). Rule of Law Index. Retrieved from https://worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/ global/2023/.
[59] Yara, O., & Sologub, O. (2024). Constitutional rights and freedoms of human and citizen in Ukraine and EU countries. Law. Human. Environment, 15(4), 103-123. doi: 10.31548/law/4.2024.103.