Constitutional Court of Ukraine paid tribute to the memory of Leonid Yuzkov
On January 26, 2018, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine paid tribute 
to the memory of Leonid Yuzkov, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (1992 – 1995), prominent Ukrainian scholar, lawyer, talented professor and public figure, who should have turned 80.
Leonid Yuzkov was one of the founders of the Ukrainian statehood, who laid the background for the formation of modern Ukrainian legislation. He began the history of formation of constitutional justice as one of the most fundamental backgrounds of the modern Ukrainian state, aimed at protecting human rights, since for Leonid Yuzkov an individual had always been at the first place.
"A person possesses a broad spectrum of rights and freedoms in a civilised world not because they are proclaimed by the Constitution. The Constitution proclaims these rights and freedoms because people are endowed with them by nature", emphasised Leonid Yuzkov.
Research developments of the scholar on the theory of the Ukrainian doctrine of constitutional jurisdiction and its practical development of the legislative foundations of constitutional justice are still useful and topical for the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Doctor of law, full member of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Leonid Yuzkov had left over 200 research works. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine keeps written researches, manuals, historical official and personal documents.
In the early 1990's Leonid Yuzkov was the Chairman of the supervisory board of the Ukrainian Legal Foundation, member of the Constitutional Commission, head of the working groups on drafting the "Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine", the Concept of the new Constitution of Ukraine, two official draft constitutions of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine "On the Constitutional Court of Ukraine" and other normative acts. His membership 
in the European Commission for Democracy through Law was of special importance in his activities.
Leonid Yuzkov also entered the history of the Ukrainian jurisprudence as a talented 
professor who had educated more than one generation of domestic lawyers. Many of his students became candidates and doctors of legal sciences, and recognised lawyers. He had always displayed a special approach. His followers emphasise that Leonid Yuzkov professed the principle of the ancients: "A student is not an amphora that can be filled, but a torch to be ignited."
An exhibition dedicated to Leonid Yuzkov was inaugurated today in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Among the exhibits there are the publication of the draft Constitution of Ukraine of 1992 and 1993, works on public administration and local self-government, thesis for obtaining academic degrees of the candidate and doctor in law, diplomas, certificates, works of art, personal belongings, provided to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine by a L.Yukov’s family.
Tatiana, daughter of the Ukrainian lawyer, addressed the audience with moving words. Thanking to 
all those present for the tribute paid to memory of Leonid Yuzkov as an outstanding scholar, she emphasised that, first of all, he is s close, native person for her. She stressed the importance for the Yuzkov’s family of respect and attention that the Constitutional Court of Ukraine pays to her father.
A graduate of the Berdychevsk Pedagogical College Liudmyla Kozlovska, where Leonid Yuzkov had studied, transferred to the Constitutional Court’s museum exposition a number of documents from the period of studies of Leonid Yuzkov. Some 
of them, in particular, were written by him personally.
Former judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Doctor of Law, Professor Volodymyr Kampo expressed warm words in the memory of Leonid Yuzkov. True or not – it is unknown, but not it is not a person who chooses the historical epoch in which to live, of course, but the epoch which does it for the person, he remarked. Research achievements of Leonid Yuzkov had significantly advanced the day in which he lived and worked, noted Volodymyr Kampo. The idea of protecting human rights and freedoms through a constitutional complaint was not implemented at that time. It took more than twenty years to implement it.
Recalling the outstanding scholar, the Director of the V.M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Law, Professor, Full Member of the Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine Yurii Shemshuchenko emphasised that Leonid Yuzkov was a passionate patriot of Ukraine, had a sincere Ukrainian temper, was a friendly and considerate person who understood humour and was fond of singing Ukrainian songs. Before he began to lead the working groups on drafting laws, he already had a high authority. Leonid Yuzkov’s opinion was crucial for the whole Constitutional Commission. According to Yurii Shemshuchenko, Leonid Yuzkov laid the foundation for the theory of the constitutional treaty, the constitutional laws.
In addition, it should be noted that the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, in co-operation with the V.M. 
Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, plans to hold a scientific event dedicated to scientific and research achievements and developments of Leonid Yuzkov.
Permanent representative of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Professor Anatolii Selivanov provided some personal memories about Leonid Yuzkov. He stressed that there are two things that were important for him – the family he loved, and the law in which he felt very confident, comfortable. His life and mind is a standard of honour, dignity, scientific wisdom and scientific brotherhood. It is important for us always to remember the ancestor of our statehood, the ideas of constitutional law.
Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Public Organisation "Block of Patriotic Forces", public figure Volodymyr Kolodzinskyi, stressed that the presence of the public at this event is a testament to the great step on the way to building civil society, the ideas of which were promoted by Leonid Yuzkov.
The ceremony in commemoration of Leonid Yuzkov was attended by Acting Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Viktor Kryvenko, judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Viktor Kolisnyk, Oleksandr Lytvynov, Volodymyr Moisyk, former judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Ivan Dombrovskyi, Volodymyr Kampo, Mykhailo Kolos, relatives and family of Leonid Yuzkov, scholars, public figures and members of the Secretariat of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine together with guests and the Court staff laid flowers to the grave of Leonid Yuzkov at the Baikove Cemetery.
