Judicial Autonomy Under Pressure: A Critical Analysis of Internal Independence in Administrative Courts
By: Natalia Savytska, Ivan Kravchenko and Yurii Momot
References
- Allan, T. R. S. Constitutional justice: Liberal theory of the rule of law. Kyiv: Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, 2008.
- Analysis of Disciplinary Cases of the High Council of Justice. Texty.org.ua // https://datalogy.texty.org.ua/avtorozpodil/
- Bershov, G. Y. Criminal liability for interference in the activities of judicial bodies. Edited by O. M. Lytvynov. Kharkiv: NikaNova, 2014.
- Bondarenko, O., M. Utkina, P. Malanchuk, V. Pakhomov, V. Sukhonos. “Principle of application of the judge’s internal beliefs under the conditions of international rules of evidence and corruption factors.” Cuestiones Políticas 41(77) (2023): 714–730 // doi: 10.46398/cuestpol.4177.47
- Bondarenko, O. S. Concept of criminal law counteraction to corruption. Sumi: SumDU, 2021.
- Chorna, S. Z. “The principle of independence as an important constitutional principle in the organization and functioning of the judiciary in Ukraine.” Law and Society 2 (2020): 135–141.
- Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Recommendation CM/Rec (2010) 12 on judges: independence, efficiency, and responsibilities. (November 17, 2010) // https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/994_a38
- Council of Judges of Ukraine. Recommendation on the Europe Action Plan to Strengthen the Independence and Impartiality of the Judiciary. (January 5, 2024) // https://rsu.gov.ua/uploads/article/plan-dijzmicnennanezaleznosti-su-9fc2c6af1d.pdf
- Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Independence. (2024) // https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/our-justice-system/jud-acc-ind/independence/
- Decree of the President of Ukraine “On the Sustainable Development Strategy ‘Ukraine – 2020’”. Official Gazette, 2015, No. 5/2015.
- Didyk, S. Y., R. V. Kartukh. “Characteristics of qualified types of interference in the activities of judicial bodies under the legislation of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland.” Prykarpatskyi Yurydychnyi Visnyk 6(21) (2017): 123–129.
- Driscoll, A., A. Aydın-Çakır, S. Schorpp. “Awareness of Executive Interference and the Demand for Judicial Independence: Evidence from Four Constitutional Courts.” Journal of Law and Courts (2024): 1–25.
- European Court of Human Rights. Bochan v. Ukraine, May 3, 2007, No. 7577/02 // https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-80455%22]}
- European Court of Human Rights. Stran Greek Refineries and Stratis Andreadis v. Greece, December 9, 1994 // https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-57913
- González-Ocantos, Ezequiel. “Some determinants of internal judicial independence: A comparative study of the courts in Chile, Peru and Ecuador.” International Journal of Law in Context 10(1) (2014): 1–26.
- Horodovenko, V. “Institutional independence of the judiciary in Ukraine: Constitutional and legal aspects.” Constitutional Court of Ukraine Bulletin 1 (2021): 81–92.
- Kaluzhna, O. M. “Forms of communication of the Supreme Court with judges of lower levels”: 35–37. In: Modern challenges and current problems of judicial reform in Ukraine: Proceedings of the V International Scientific and Practical Conference. Edited by O. V. Shcherbaniuk et al. Chernivtsi, 2021.
- Kibets, V. O. “Judicial protection as one of the guarantees of judicial activity.” Comparative and Analytical Law 1 (2019): 215–217.
- Kinakh, M. “Judicial index or how business evaluates the efficiency of the judicial system.” Yurydychna Hazeta (July 28, 2021) // https://yur-gazeta.com/golovna/sudoviy-indeks-abo-yak-ocinyue-biznes-efektivnist-sudovoyi-sistemi.html
- Knyzhenko, S. O. “Ways of interference in the activities of judicial bodies.” Current issues of criminal procedure and forensic science 1 (2021): 169–171.
- Kohut, D. “Prospects for further reform of Ukraine’s judicial system.” Journal of Kyiv University of Law 2 (2020): 186–191.
- Kozyar, R. Y. “Classification of types of interference in the professional activities of a judge: Methodological aspect.” Scientific Notes of Lviv University of Business and Law 31 (2021): 77–86.
- Lenher, Y. I. “Trust in the court as a determinant of the independence of power”: 51–52. In: Modern challenges and current problems of judicial reform in Ukraine: Proceedings of the V International Scientific and Practical Conference. Edited by O. V. Shcherbaniuk et al. Chernivtsi, 2021.
- Lowndes, J. “Judicial independence and judicial accountability at the coalface of the Australian judiciary.” Judicial Journal 23(3) (2016): 8–36.
- National School of Judges of Ukraine. Achievements and tasks of judicial education. (2023) // https://nsj.gov.ua/ua/news/zdobutki-ta-zavdannya-suddivskoiosviti1/
- National School of Judges of Ukraine. Achievements and tasks of judicial education. (2024) // http://www.nsj.gov.ua/ua/news/zdobutki-ta-zavdannya-suddivskoi-osviti1/
- Nesterchuk, L. P. “Realization of the principle of specialization of courts in Ukraine in comparison with Western European countries”: 51–54. In: Modern challenges and current issues of judicial reform in Ukraine: Proceedings of the V International Scientific and Practical Conference. Edited by O. V. Shcherbaniuk et al. Chernivtsi, 2021.
- Papada, E., D. Altman, F. Angiolillo, L. Gastaldi, T. Köhler, M. Lundstedt, N. Natsika, M. Nord, Y. Sato, F. Wiebrecht, S. I. Lindberg. Defiance in the face of autocratization: Democracy Report 2023 (V-Dem Working Paper No. 2023). University of Gothenburg, V-Dem Institute, 2023 // https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4560857
- Prokopenko, O. B. “Problems of establishing a fair judicial authority.” Supreme Court of Ukraine (2024) // http://www.scourt.gov.ua/clients/vs.nsf/0/93F02E30DB-82D6E1C22575D800393608
- Razumkov Centre. Public opinion survey on judicial system trust. (2023) // https://sud.ua/uk/news/publication/264685-uroven-doveriya-k-sudam-vyros-no-nedoverie-sudam-vyrazhayut-59-oproshennykh-tsentr-razumkova-obnarodoval-pokazateli
- Reznik, O., O. Bondarenko, M. Utkina, O. Klypa, L. Bobrishova. “Anti-Corruption Transformation Processes in the Conditions of the Judicial Reform in Ukraine Implementation.” International Journal for Court Administration 14(1) (2023): 2 // doi: 10.36745/ijca.400
- Rytova, V. O., A. V. Khomenko. “Legal foundations of judicial liability in post-Soviet countries.” Legal Scientific Electronic Journal 10 (2021): 616–619.
- Smuryhin, O. O. Internal Conviction in the Evaluation of Evidence. (2024) // https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/jspui/bitstream/lib/23006/1/ВНУТРІШНЄ%20ПЕРЕКОНАННЯ%20ПРИ%20ОЦІНЦІ%20ДОКАЗІВ.pdf
- Kyiv District Administrative Court. Decision of September 30, 2021, No. 10004150 // https://verdictum.ligazakon.net/document/96680007
- State v N. N. Suvorov District Court of Kherson, Decision of March 4, 2011, No. 1-162/11) // https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/14036607
- State v N. N. Trostyanets District Court of Sumy Region, 2010, No. 65376480 // https://youcontrol.com.ua/catalog/court-document/56777776/
- Storozhilova, U. L., H. M. Storozhilov, P. M. Storozhilov. “Harmonization of Ukraine’s legislation with the European Union’s international public and private law during globalization, digitalization, and under martial law conditions”: 220–222. In: Harmonization of Ukraine’s legislation with European Union law: Proceedings of the 3rd National Scientific Conference. Khmelnytskyi: KhNU, 2022.
- Svyda, O. H. Administrative courts in Ukraine: Formation and prospects of development. PhD diss., Odesa, 2008.
- Transparency International Ukraine. Corruption perceptions index – 2023. (2023) // http://cpi.ti-ukraine.org/#/
- Ukrainian National Bar Association. Independence and Impartiality of the Court (based on the practice of the European Court of Human Rights. (2015) // https://unba.org.ua/assets/uploads/events/roundtable/2015.05.20-roundtable-rozdatka.pdf
- UN. Trials of former Spanish judge lack independence, impartiality: landmark case. (2021) // https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/08/1098502
- Zozulia, N. “Contempt of court: legal requirements and practice.” Ukrainian Law (2023) // https://stelmakh.in.ua/nepovaha-do-sudu-vymohy-zakonu-i-praktyka/
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjlp-2025-0014 | Journal eISSN: 2029-0454
Language: English
Page range: 37 - 53
Submitted on: Jan 2, 2025
Accepted on: Dec 3, 2025
Published on: Mar 9, 2026
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 2 issues per year
Keywords:
Related subjects:
© 2026 Natalia Savytska, Ivan Kravchenko, Yurii Momot, published by Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy and the Faculty of Law of Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania)
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.