The presence of a strong self-governing advocacy organization makes it possible to prevent the restriction of citizens' rights

Only a consolidated and balanced position can stop the process of narrowing the rights of citizens, which is stated by the authorities in the draft law NO1013 on the abolition of the advocacy monopoly.

This was emphasized by head of the UNBA Lidiya Izovitova during the regular meeting of the Ukrainian Bar Council, which takes place on November 15 in Kyiv. The meeting will take place on the eve of the 7^th  anniversary of the creation of UNBA.

She stated that since August 2019, when the President submitted a bill to the parliament no1013, UNBA was actively defending the preservation of the exclusive rights of lawyers to the representation of persons in the courts, because this, according to lawyers, narrows the rights of citizens.

"I am very grateful to our Committee on the rule of law and community on lawmaking, Odessa Law Academy and Nani Batacova, and also to a member of the Scientific and Advisory Council of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Alexander Drozdova, who provided his conclusion to some thoughts that were referenced. In addition, an example of defense of the advocacy monopoly, which was recognized by the judges of the constitutional court, was the performance of the lawyers Marina Stavniychuk and Oksana Kadenko in the constitutional court. We have collected all of this, including these speeches, and send to the CCU as our common position ",-said Lydia Izovitova.

Head of the UNBA also said that they support the Ukrainian bar in the struggle for the preservation of exclusive rights to representation in courts and professional international organizations.

"We recently returned from Tbilisi, where one of the issues was voiced by advocacy standards in all countries of the world. Firstly, it should act as a single bar association with obligatory membership, it should be independent and self-financed, and not live due to budgetary and donor funds, the advocacy should not appoint Ministry of Justice candidates for Leadership positions and should not have access to these profession on the basis of the license of the Ministry of Justice, and access to the profession should be carried out by the lawyer itself. When we started to report that we have and what not, it turned out that in the Ukrainian advocacy there absolutely are those standards that were voiced by the leadership of the CCB. That’s why we strive to ensure that our Parliament and the Government, solving any issues in the advocacy, to approve them with attorneys, because it is also a relevant European and world standard, "said Lidiya Izovitova.

The head of the UNBA stressed: The law Community has no intention to give up and will defend the rights of citizens to professional legal assistance until the end.

"This Wednesday the Committee on Legal Policy of the Verkhovna Rada held a meeting, where it recommended the adoption of the Bill no1013. But it may only be accepted in February next year. And by this time a lot can change. Therefore, only a consolidated and balanced position can stop the process of narrowing the rights of citizens, which offers the authorities to the no1013 bill on the abolition of the advocacy monopoly ",-summarized Lidiya Izovitova.

UNBA represented a position in the constitutional court at the beginning of the consideration of the issue of conformity no1013 draft to the constitution.

UNBA appeals to the Chairman of the Committee on Legal Policy