19 October 2011
Vasyl Onopenko completed his term as chairman of the Supreme Court of Ukraine as of September 29, 2011, Interfax reported yesterday. He was elected to a five-year term in September 2006. A replacement is due to be elected by the end of October; Onopenko had previously stated his intentions to run again for the position. Brad Wells: Onopenko was viewed as one of the last top government officials not allied with President Viktor Yanukovych. In an interview in March, Onopenko criticized Ukraine’s lack of an independent judicial system. In July 2010, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, voted to limit the Supreme Court’s authority – a move that was criticized by the Venice Commission. The departure of Onopenko would be a loss to the judicial system, at a time when corruption and respect for the rule of law continue to be concerns.