UNBA supported the draft law on restoring sovereignty

The Ukrainian people alone have the right to form state authorities. Delegating powers to form authorities to persons who are not citizens of Ukraine is contrary to the provisions of the Constitution.

The Ukrainian National Bar Association supported draft law No. 13697 of 25 August 2025 «On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine regarding the restoration of Ukraine's State Sovereignty».

In particular, the document proposes amendments to a number of legislative acts, removing provisions that allow international experts to participate in the formation or activities of judicial and supervisory bodies. It also provides for a rule that supervisory boards of state-owned enterprises shall be formed exclusively by citizens of Ukraine.

In analyzing the draft, the UNBA recalled the decision of the Constitutional Court of October 5, 2005, No. 6-rp/2025 in the case on the exercise of power by the people. The constitutional jurisdiction body noted that the provision of Part 2 of Article 5 of the Constitution «the bearer of sovereignty and the sole source of power in Ukraine is the people» should be understood to mean that all power in Ukraine belongs to the people. The power of the people is primary, sole, and inalienable and is exercised by the people through free expression of will through elections, referendums, and other forms of direct democracy in the manner prescribed by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, through state authorities and local self-government bodies formed in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Ukraine. The concept of «the Ukrainian people» encompasses all individuals, regardless of their ethnic origin, who have a permanent legal connection with Ukraine, i.e., Ukrainian citizenship.

The UNBA noted that the Constitution does not provide for the transfer of power to citizens of other countries and in fact prohibits interference in the exercise of power by the Ukrainian people. Therefore, the provisions of current laws that provide for the participation of international experts in the process of appointment to positions in state authorities must be brought into line with the Basic Law of Ukraine.

With regard to independent members of supervisory boards, state unitary enterprises, and business associations in which 50% of the shares (stakes) belong to the state, which ensures a certain independence of the activities of business entities, advocates consider it expedient to leave the relevant provisions in the legislation, noting that only citizens of Ukraine may be members of the supervisory board.

We would like to remind you that earlier, the UNBA noted that the participation of international experts in the formation of the High Anti-Corruption Court led to a violation of citizens' rights to defense. It was also recently established that the «anti-crisis» model of the competition commission for the selection of members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges with the participation of international experts has exhausted itself.

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