Brussels assesses resilience of Ukraine's legal profession during war: Report
Photo: In Brussels, the resilience of Ukraine's legal profession during the war was assessed (press service)
An analytical study on the state of the rule of law in Ukraine, reform of the legal profession in the context of European integration, and countering disinformation attacks from Russia was presented at the European Parliament.
RBC-Ukraine's correspondent in Brussels reports the details.
Participants in the presentation included Member of the European Parliament Reinis Pozņaks, Armada Network founder Dale Armstrong, former International Republican Institute (IRI) in Ukraine director Chris Holzen, and former US Congressman Gregg Harper.
Armstrong stressed that it was crucial for the American side to provide the international community with verified data to counter politicized statements.
"It's a lengthy document, but it's real data. This is empirical data; it's not an echo-chamber. We assessed the perception of the bar by the citizens of Ukraine. The document's objective is to form a balanced and analytical picture for you to observe," Armstrong said.
He noted that the report is based on a survey of more than 1,000 respondents, including lawyers, judges, and prosecutors. The data confirm a high level of institutional stability within the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA) and its ability to carry out reforms throughout 11 years of war.
Harper emphasized that the independence of the legal profession is enshrined in Ukraine's Constitution, and attempts to undermine it during wartime are part of information attacks by external actors.
He emphasized that it's not possible to give weight to groups and publications whose primary goal is to erode public trust in the profession. Manipulation carried out by well-funded external groups has little to do with the truth. The results of the research do not indicate any discrediting of the legal profession. On the contrary, they demonstrate the high stability of the professional community under martial law, according to him.
Government affairs specialist Chris Holzen warned against excessive reliance on "shadow reports," which are often prepared without the involvement of the legal community itself.
“There is an overreliance in Brussels on certain people and groups in Ukraine, and it influences how they are assessing the bar," Holzen said. Proposals to radically restructure the legal profession through politically oriented NGOs are an attempt to establish control over the profession rather than genuinely improve it.
