Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has approved an action plan to fulfill the commitments of Ukraine linked to its membership of the Council of Europe.
The head of state signed a decree to that effect on Wednesday, his press service reported.
Yanukovych also cancelled a decree issued by his predecessor, former Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko, on Jan. 20, 2006 regarding an action plan to fulfill the duties and commitments of Ukraine linked its membership of the Council of Europe.
According to the approved plan, the Justice Ministry and the Interior Ministry should draw up a strategy for reforming the country’s law enforcement agencies within a year of the adoption of a new Criminal Procedure Code.
Taking into account the Venice Commission’s recommendations, the Justice Ministry, along with the Prosecutor General’s Office, should draw up within the same period amendments to the law on the prosecutor’s office.
Within a year of the adoption of the new Criminal Procedure Code, the Justice Ministry and the Security Service of Ukraine, under the presidential decree, should submit their proposals on the introduction of amendments to the law on the Security Service of Ukraine.
In the document, the head of state also stressed the need to complete the reform of the penitentiary system, and make criminal legislation and the penal system more humane. The Justice Ministry was ordered to draw up respective proposals by Dec. 30, 2011.
The Justice Ministry was ordered to prepare and submit to the president a draft electoral code within six months after the completion of work on a comprehensive and systematic improvement of the legislative regulation of issues linked to the holding of elections and referendums in Ukraine.
The Justice Ministry should draft by Aug. 1, 2013 a bill of amendments to the law on political parties in Ukraine (regarding their funding).
