Ukraine's representative to the Council of Europe explained the importance of protecting advocates in the context of European integration
In addition to the legal implications, the ratification and subsequent implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Legal Profession will have significant political implications for Ukraine. This will confirm the state’s readiness to fulfill the requirements necessary for future membership in the European Union.
This was stated by Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Mykola Tochytskyi during the roundtable discussion «The Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Professions of Lawyer: a future part of Ukrainian legislation», which was recently held in Kyiv.
As a reminder, it was M. Tochytskyi who signed the Convention on behalf of Ukraine on March 9. According to him, this decision reflected the will of the state leadership and marked another step in Ukraine’s integration into the Council of Europe’s legal framework.
The diplomat noted that the Convention is the Council of Europe’s first legally binding instrument designed to create appropriate conditions for the independent professional practice of advocates. But its significance extends beyond the profession itself: an independent advocate is a prerequisite for the effective right to defense and access to justice, and guarantees for the practice of law are an integral part of the functioning of a democratic state. «And that is precisely why the implementation of the Council of Europe’s modern standards has not only legal but also a distinct political dimension for us», - he remarked, linking this to Ukraine’s fulfillment of the requirements necessary for EU accession.
According to M. Tochitsky, approximately 45% of the obligations on this path are related to the work of the Council of Europe. After all, EU institutions collaborate with the Council of Europe to assess candidate countries’ fulfillment of their commitments.
Once the Verkhovna Rada grants its consent to the Convention’s binding nature, it will become part of national legislation and will be directly linked to constitutional guarantees of the legal profession. At the same time, Ukraine has the opportunity to be among the first countries to ratify the document, while discussions within the EU regarding the division of powers between the Union and its member states are still ongoing. “I am convinced that such a step would demonstrate that Ukraine not only supports the development of new European standards but is also ready to be among the first to implement them in national legislation,” the diplomat emphasized.
The next stage, he said, should be concrete joint efforts by parliament, the government, the advocacy organization, and other national institutions. «Now we need to move on to concrete work. And I am very grateful for this initiative to hold discussions with members of parliament (members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legal Policy also participated in the event—Ed.), because, by and large, the ball is in their court. It is my firm conviction that ratification would be an important step toward supporting the development of new European standards», - noted M. Tochitsky. The issue of ratification must be brought before the Verkhovna Rada in the near future, as the right to legal defense is a fundamental right in a democratic state.
The diplomat assured that Ukraine’s Permanent Delegation to the Council of Europe will continue to cooperate with national institutions for the future implementation of the Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Advocate. He also expressed his expectation that its ratification and practical implementation will be reflected in the new action plan for Ukraine supported by the Council of Europe.
«Today, I see support among politicians regarding the ratification of the Convention, so it is desirable that we not delay this process», - M. Tochitsky concluded.
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