The Verkhovna Rada has assumed the powers to appoint and dismiss judges, which earlier belonged to the Higher Council of Justice.

A total of 314 MPs at a meeting on Sunday voted for respective amendments to the legislation on certain issues of the judicial system and the status of judges (No. 4186).

"The powers regarding the appointment of judges have been returned to parliament," Batkivschyna faction leader Arseniy Yatseniuk said, when speaking about the law.

"The bill envisages the introduction of instruments of parliamentary control (previous conclusions of the concerned committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine) on the appointment, election, dismissal of judges, and bringing them to justice," reads an explanatory note to the document.