Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Riaboshapka has predicted that it will take around two years for the key aspect of the prosecution reform – the recertification of prosecutors, and it will result in the reduction of the number of prosecutors.
“In general, the process will be very lengthy, since the country is still rather big and there are 11,000 prosecutors who are working today. After that there should be the recruiting of additional staff. We open up an opportunity for people who did not have the experience of being a prosecutor to work in prosecution bodies. I think this reform will last for no more than two years,” he told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday.
According to the prosecutor general, the number of prosecutors will be reduced as part of the reform.
“So far, the number remains as it is. But, according to our preliminary estimates, we do not see the need for such a large number of prosecutors,” he said.
According to Riaboshapka, it is planned to develop a system for assessing the quality of work of prosecutors, the burden on prosecutors, and to analyze how they fulfill their duties.
“Then we will give reasoned estimates of how many prosecutors the country needs,” he added.
The prosecutor general said that the key aspect of the reform is the recertification of prosecutors, the opportunity of updating and cleansing the staff.
However, he said that the self-government prosecution authorities will continue working.
“The Council of Prosecutors will continue working, it will receive a new function that will be associated with the settlement of conflicts of interest among prosecutors,” Riaboshapka said.
According to him, the body, which will investigate into disciplinary proceedings against prosecutors, will be rearranged.
“Previously, it was the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Public Prosecutors. Now it will be staff commissions, several of them will be created,” Riaboshapka said.
According to him, these commissions will be created at the level of the central apparatus and at the level of regional prosecutor’s offices.
