Head of the Supreme Court Valentyna Danishevska calls on the delegates of the 18th regular Congress of Judges to elect worthy representatives of the judiciary to the bodies of judicial administration and local authorities.

Speaking on Tuesday at the opening of the Congress of Judges in Kyiv, Danishevska noted that confidence in judges in Ukraine is not being restored as quickly as one would like. "A certain number of such people [who do not trust judges] accompany, relatively speaking, our congress. What do these people want? So that there are people in the judiciary with perfect reputations, respectable, professional. And we also want this. The only difference is that that we are urged not to hold this congress," the head of the Supreme Court said.

Danishevska drew attention to the fact that the formation of judicial administration and self-government bodies is a constitutional obligation of judges. "We cannot listen to proposals to break the law," she said.

The head of the Supreme Court expressed the hope that the delegates to the Congress of Judges will elect worthy people to the judiciary.

"I hope that all of you today are determined to elect the most worthy people, and I urge you to this. We must show that although we are going our own way, we are holding this congress, but we will propose to these bodies people who have an impeccable reputation," Danishevska said.

She admitted that the judicial system still needs to work to gain real independence, "so that every judge feels free and independent from any pressure – from the authorities, and the public."

"We can say that we also have internal pressure. Our internal forces, which are trying to drive a wedge between judges of different regions, different instances, do not spare either time or money," the head of the Supreme Court said.

In this context, Danishevska added: "Of course, the judicial system also has its own 'fifth column', but I am sure that those people who have forgotten about the oath or those who consider our oath only a farce will sooner or later leave us – or will be made to do it by our bodies, or by the public, but the judiciary will eventually look decent among other government bodies and receive proper respect."

The 18th regular Congress of Judges of Ukraine takes place in Kyiv from March 9 to March 11, the agenda of the congress includes the appointments to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the High Council of Justice, and the Council of Judges of Ukraine.