Council of Europe backs growth of Ukrainian national bar association
On July 16, 2024, in Kyiv, a working meeting occurred between Maciej Janczak, head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA) leadership. Ukraine was represented by Lidia Izovitova, president of the UNBA and the Bar Council of Ukraine, along with her vice president, Valentyn Gvozdiy, and Vadym Krasnyk, chief of staff of the UNBA secretariat. Iryna Kushnir, project manager of the Council of Europe's support to the judiciary in Ukraine in the context of war and post-war period, also participated in the meeting, Ukrainian News reported.
The discussions centred around the war-related challenges impacting the UNBA's operations and explored potential cooperative efforts to enhance the implementation of Council of Europe standards.
Participants mentioned that on December 14, 2022, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe approved the CoE Action Plan for Ukraine titled "Resilience, Recovery and Rebuilding" for 2023-2026.
Specifically, the Action Plan includes measures to support the justice system in line with European human rights standards. Paragraph 2.1 outlines strategic and legal advice for public authorities, the bar, and the legal aid system. Additionally, the plan aims to bolster the professional capacity of lawyers, enhance the quality of legal education, and support the growth of the Ukrainian National Bar Association, other legal entities, NGOs, and the free Legal Aid system.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to organize an operational meeting with relevant project managers from the Council of Europe to pinpoint specific actions to support the UNBA.