Ukrainian Parliament Moves to Meet IMF Demands on Judiciary

(Bloomberg) -- Ukraine’s parliament moved to end a disagreement with the International Monetary Fund over a key plank in the country’s long-delayed judicial reform.

The legislation, passed Tuesday in a second and final reading, concerns who sits on the High Qualification Commission of Judges, which selects and evaluates justices. As recommended by the Venice Commission, it grants veto powers to foreign experts involved in appointing the panel.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the law will be accepted by the IMF, which has held back the latest tranche of $5 billion loan after Ukraine failed to meet the attached conditions on time. Another bill, on judicial ethics, will also be required to satisfy the Washington-based lender.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy won office in 2019 on pledges to root out corruption, though he’s made little headway. Other concerns voiced by the IMF include central-bank independence and corporate governance.

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