Today, on 7 February 2025, Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Olha Sovhyria, Serhiy Riznyk, Galyna Yurovska and representatives of the Court's Secretariat, at the invitation of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia, participated in an online solemn hearing on the occasion of the opening of the judicial year.
In opening the judicial year, President of the Republic of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs emphasised the key role of constitutional justice in ensuring the rule of law and protecting democratic values. He noted that constitutional courts have a very important mission - to protect the constitution and ensure a balance between the interests of the individual and the state.
The President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia, Irēna Kucina, presented a report on the development of constitutional law in Latvia in 2024, outlining key challenges and achievements in the field of constitutional justice.
In her speech, she highlighted the significant progress made within the framework of the project “Support to the Development of Constitutional Justice in Ukraine”, which is being implemented within the framework of the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Partnership for Good Governance”. This project has significantly strengthened cooperation between the constitutional courts of Ukraine and Latvia, promoting active exchange of experience, implementation of best legal practices, and strengthening the rule of law.
She also praised the work of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, which not only continues to conduct judicial proceedings in the midst of war, but also actively works to develop the legal system and implement European standards of constitutional control.
The guest of honour at the event was the President of the Republic of Iceland (2016-2024), Professor at the University of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, who shared his vision of protecting democracy in the world and gave examples of using history as a tool in modern political debates. During his speech, Mr Jóhannesson called on the audience to pay tribute to the Ukrainian people in their courageous struggle against the Russian aggressor, stressing that the struggle of Ukrainians today is a struggle in the long run of all democracies.
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia maintain long-term cooperation focused on the development of constitutional justice, protection of human rights and freedoms, and exchange of experience. This interaction helps to improve the mechanisms of constitutional justice in line with international standards.
