President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday signed bill on reform of the prosecution bodies and re-certification of prosecutors into law (bill No.1032).
According to Verkhovna Rada website, “returned with president’s signature on September 23, 2019” is written opposite the respective legislative initiative.
Verkhovna Rada Chairman Dmytro Razumkov signed the given document on September 23 as well.
The law provides for the creation of a new structure of prosecution authorities after the certification of prosecutors, the liquidation of military prosecutors, while providing the prosecutor general with the right, if necessary, to create specialized prosecutors with the rights of a structural unit of the Office of the Prosecutor General, regional prosecutors, and district prosecutors.
In the structure of prosecution authorities, area prosecutors will become regional, and local – district. The list and jurisdiction of the district prosecutors will be determined by the prosecutor general by order.
The law gives the Prosecutor General the authority to approve the development strategy of the prosecutor’s office; a system for assessing the quality of work of prosecutors; the procedure for measuring and regulating the burden on prosecutors; the procedure for considering applications for improper execution by a public prosecutor in an administrative position of official duties.
According to the law, the prosecutor general will have two first deputies and deputies, without limiting their number.
The law abolished military prosecutors, and the position of deputy prosecutor general – chief military prosecutor is excluded from the list of prosecutors of the prosecutor’s office.
The norm on the number of employees has been clarified. So, out of 15,000 employees of the prosecution authorities will be no more than 10,000 prosecutors.
Until September 1, 2021, a number of articles that relate to the activities of the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors are suspended, and in certain provisions of the Law on the Prosecutor’s Office the name of this body has been replaced by “the relevant body that conducts disciplinary proceedings.”
The requirements for the applicant for the position of the prosecutor general have been changed. This position can be taken by a specialist with legal education and experience in the field of law for at least 10 years.
The orders of the prosecutor general will not be registered with the Ministry of Justice.
The salary of the prosecutor of the district (local) prosecutor’s office will increase from 12 to 15 living wages for able-bodied citizens, from 2021 it will be 20 living wages, and from 2022 – 25 minimums.
In addition, the salaries of the leadership of the Office of the Prosecutor General and the heads of area (regional) prosecutors will increase.
Bonuses to prosecutors will be carried out in the manner approved by the prosecutor general, based on the results of assessing the quality of their work.
The National Prosecution Academy of Ukraine will become the Training Center for Prosecutors.
The law enters into force on the day after its publication, with the exception of its individual provisions.
