Constitutional Court's three judges complete their nine-year term in office
Three judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine have completed their nine-year term in office, from now on the court will work as a composition of 11 judges and will require the earliest possible filling of vacancies, the court's Communications and Legal Monitoring Department said.
"On January 27, 2025, a ceremonial meeting was held in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on the occasion of the termination of the powers of judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Viktor Kolesnyk, Viktor Kryvenko and Volodymyr Moysyk in connection with the completion of their nine-year term in accordance with Article 149-1 of the Constitution of Ukraine," the court said in a statement on Monday.
At the same time, as noted in the statement, "from today onwards, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine will temporarily work with eleven judges of the Court. Therefore, the prompt appointment of new judges is extremely important so that the Constitutional Court of Ukraine continues to fully ensure the supremacy of the Constitution of Ukraine and protect human rights and freedoms."
The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets commented on the event. "The termination of the powers of three judges at once leads to the loss of the necessary quorum for holding meetings of the Grand Chamber of the Court, as well as the Second Senate of the Court. Such a situation is unacceptable, because the stability of the legal order and the guarantee of protection of the rights and freedoms of every citizen depend on the work of the Constitutional Court," Lubinets said in Telegram channel.
"I call on all responsible persons to ensure promptness in the selection and appointment of judges of the Constitutional Court, because the stability of the constitutional order of our state depends on this," he said.
To hold sessions of the Grand Chamber of the Constitutional Court, which considers constitutional motions, the presence of at least 12 judges of the Constitutional Court is required. Competitions are currently underway for three vacant positions of judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine under the quota of the President of Ukraine and for two vacant positions of judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine under the quota of the Congress of Judges. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine consists of 18 judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. The President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Congress of Judges of Ukraine appoint six judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine each.