Ukrainian Justice Minister Oleksandr Lavrynovych has said that the introduction of the institution of jury trials in Ukraine would be problematic at present.
"It’s not the right time for this for our society, as this is a court of not so much the law, as emotions," the justice minister said in an interview with the Publichnye Liudi (Public Persons) magazine issued on June 1, the department’s press service reported.
Lavrynovych noted that not many countries, even if they have a rather high general level of culture, including legal culture, have jury trials.
The minister said he was also skeptical about the possible introduction of the system of the election of judges, such as that used by the United States and Switzerland. He said he does not believe that if judges were elected by citizens, it would improve the work of the judicial system.
"Just imagine: There are several candidates with a judicial education who want to become judges. They have to carry out an election campaign. The election campaign by nature is purely political – you have to win the sympathy of the voters. Resources are needed for this.
"Those who would try to get the position of a judge in our Ukrainian conditions would a priori depend on a source of financing," Lavrynovych said.
