EU Project Pravo-Justice summarised its work for January-June 2025
The third Steering Committee Meeting of the third phase of EU Project Pravo-Justice implemented by Expertise France took place on 17 July. At the event, the Project team presented the half-year results and discussed priorities with beneficiaries and stakeholders.
Asier Santillán Luzuriaga, Head of the Section for European Integration, Governance, Rule of Law, and Civil Society at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, participated in the event. He noted that the EU highly appreciates the resilience demonstrated by Ukrainian institutions in the face of Russia’s full-scale invasion and assured the attendees of European Union’s unwavering and consistent support.
“The last six months have been challenging, and we have faced real challenges, including the ones associated with the suspension of USAID funding. However, this period has also been surprisingly impactful. EU Project Pravo-Justice has made a significant contribution to analytical and legislative work, as well as to the reform of the prosecutor’s office, judicial reform, the investigation of war crimes, and support for civil society, among other areas. All these efforts are aimed not only at complying with the criteria of the European Union, but also at strengthening the country’s resilience in times of war,” emphasised Asier Santillán Luzuriaga. He stressed that it is crucial to coordinate efforts with other programs supporting Ukraine to ensure a prosperous future for the country.
Sébastien Surun, Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the French Embassy in Ukraine, emphasised a strong link between justice reforms and Ukraine’s overall progress toward the EU. He said that the justice system is the foundation for a democratic and investment-friendly country.
“EU Project Pravo-Justice has been working on fundamental issues at the heart of European integration, including the rule of law, independent judiciary, and accountability. These are the values Ukrainians are fighting for today. As international partners, we must support them on the home front. We have seen significant progress, especially in collaboration with authorities, civil society, and the international community. However, it is important to keep up the pace, especially in the areas where progress still takes extra effort,” concluded Sébastien Surun.
Liudmyla Suhak, Deputy Minister of Justice for European Integration and Chair of the Steering Committee of EU Project Pravo-Justice, emphasised that the Project remains one of the largest partners of the Ministry of Justice. She specifically addressed issues related to EU integration of Ukraine.
“Even though negotiations on the first cluster of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU have not yet been opened, we have no time to waste. Since we have roadmaps approved by the government, we have a clear task and vision for our further steps and are ready to continue our work. Of course, it will be difficult for us if we do not move in the same direction as our partners, in particular, EU Project Pravo-Justice,” emphasised Liudmyla Suhak.
Oksana Tsymbrivska, Project Team Leader of EU Project Pravo-Justice, provided a management update and elaborated on priorities for the upcoming period. In particular, the Project will focus on supporting civil society initiatives. She noted that since the beginning of 2025, twelve civil society organisations have received grant support amounting to over €800,000, and this support will continue in the months ahead.
“We have already launched the preparation of a new Shadow Report, which this time covers not only Chapter 23 – Justice and Fundamental Rights, but also Chapter 24 – Justice, Freedom, and Security. A coalition of civil society organisations is working on the document, which is also of great importance. Furthermore, we continue to support the Model Court Initiative. To date, the number of model courts has increased by more than fifty. In the upcoming period, the Project will undoubtedly focus on implementing the civil society initiatives we have already launched,” said Oksana Tsymbrivska.
Olha Sribniak, Deputy Team Leader at EU Project Pravo-Justice, added that the Project will continue to cooperate with justice sector institutions, particularly by establishing cooperation with the new leadership of the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Prosecutor General, to ensure the continuity of reforms. European integration in the sphere of the rule of law, accountability for war crimes, and strengthening the role of civil society in the justice sector will remain top priorities in this regard.
Tomas Stravinskas, Sector Manager at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, noted that Ukraine now has a historic chance. He also emphasised the unique mission of the Project which not only supports justice system reform but also builds bridges of understanding between Ukraine and the EU.
“Ukraine wants to become part of the EU, and the European Union wants Ukraine to join the Union. However, there is a considerable amount of complex work to be done to fulfil these two desired outcomes. It is where EU Project Pravo-Justice comes into play. It not only provides technical support for reforms, but also helps build bridges between the Ukrainian context and European principles,” Tomas Stravinskas concluded.
Andrii Leshchenko, Deputy Prosecutor General, Maksym Radzivon, Chair of the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors, Roman Maselko, Member of the High Council of Justice, Oleksii Movchan, Member of Parliament of Ukraine and Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Economic Policy Committee, Leonid Sapelnikov, Deputy Head of the State Judicial Administration, and other representatives of the judiciary, justice sector institutions and civil society participated in the event.