Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Attempting to annul a previous president’s decree from the moment it was issued, with a single signature, is nonsense.

Viktor Yushchenko is more interested in keeping power than adhering to Ukrainian law. Though his decision to dismiss parliament was questionable, his tactics in preventing a Constitutional Court ruling on the matter were outrageous, plucking dissenting judges from the bench.

The saga lingers to this day, and Yushchenko’s conduct is once again questionable. The Supreme Court of Ukraine re-appointed Suzanna Stanik to the Constitutional Court in a March 25 decision, the same judge at the center of last year’s scandal. Yushchenko’s reaction was standard political maneuvering from Presidential Secretariat Chair Viktor Baloha.

The president accepted the Court’s decision by re-appointing Stanik on April 2, before dismissing her the next day, canceling the decree by former President Leonid Kuchma appointing her in the first place. The Secretariat also alleged Stanik never took her oath of office.

The presidential office should be concerned about corrupt judges, but it shouldn’t stretch Ukraine’s laws for a quick political fix. Attempting to annul a previous president’s decree from the moment it was issued, with a single signature, is legal nonsense. If Ukraine's leaders can't exercise self-discipline and compromise in resolving political disputes, then a strong checks and balances system must be forged. Making constitutional and judicial reform a top priority will help further that cause.