On October 16, 2021, the body of constitutional jurisdiction of Ukraine celebrated the 25th anniversary of its activity. On this occasion, the Constitutional Court organised and held a number of events: international and national scientific and practical conferences, published scientific publications, information materials, etc. The final event was a solemn meeting, during which the Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Serhiy Holovaty and judges of the Court congratulated the employees of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
Addressing the audience, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Serhiy Holovaty noted that on the first anniversary of the 25th anniversary of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine it is necessary to remember those people who contributed to Ukraine's independence, adoption of its Constitution and establishment of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
For significant personal contribution to the protection of constitutional citizens’ rights and freedoms, high professionalism and on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Ivan Tymchenko (posthumously), Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in 1996–1999, and Leonid Yuzkov (posthumously), the first Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, were awarded Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the III degree and the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the V degree, respectively, by the Decree of the President of Ukraine.
Serhiy Holovaty noted that these well-deserved awards, although posthumous, once again confirm the invaluable contribution of reason, intellect, experience and perseverance to the establishment of such an institution as the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
He shared his memories of interesting and fruitful work with Ivan Tymchenko and Leonid Yuzkov. The speaker demonstrated two interesting historical artifacts, including a 31-year-old document, namely the “Draft Declaration on Sovereignty and Self-Government of the People of Ukraine”, prepared by Serhiy Holovaty and Ivan Tymchenko and submitted to the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada. This document included postulates about the definition of the Ukrainian nation, the sovereignty of the people of Ukraine, which formed the basis of the new Constitution of Ukraine on self-determination of the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian state with its Ukrainian state language. This was confirmed by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in its Decision No.1r/2021 in the case upon the constitutional petition of 51 People's Deputies of Ukraine on the compliance of the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language” with the Constitution of Ukraine (constitutionality).
Another historical document demonstrated by Serhiy Holovaty is the “Constitutional Agreement between the President of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the Basic Principles of Organization and Functioning of State Power and Local Self-Government in Ukraine for the Period Before the Adoption of the New Constitution of Ukraine” (1995). A working group of scientists headed by Leonid Yuzkov worked on this document. They established the Ukrainian constitutional identity and Leonid Yuzkov became the founder of this process.
Employees of the Secretariat of the Constitutional Court were also awarded state awards on the occasion of the holiday.
The medal “For work and victory” was awarded to Natalia Vorontsova, the chief specialist of the division of acceptance and registration of documents of the Department of Documentary Support of the Secretariat of the Court; Natalia Kushakova-Kostytska, head of the Legal Information Monitoring Sector of the Court's Communications and International Cooperation Department; Olena Pazenko, chief specialist of the Preparation Sector for the Publication of the Court's Press Body “Bulletin of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine” of the Department of Organizational Work of the Court Secretariat; Oksana Pobirchenko, head of the division for receiving appeals to the CCU; Natalia Strashuk, chief specialist of the Civil Service Division of the Department of Personnel of the Court Secretariat; Olena Shyshkina, head of the Control Division of the Department of Organizational Work of the Court Secretariat.
Liubov Ushakova, the Deputy Head of the Legal Department - Head of the Division of Legal Support of Constitutional Complaints, was awarded the honourary title of “Honoured Lawyer of Ukraine”. Yuliia Yevtoshuk, a scientific consultant of the Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, was awarded the Diploma of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for her significant personal contribution to ensuring the activity of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, conscientious work and high professionalism.
Diplomas of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine were awarded to Deputy Head of the Personnel Department Tetiana Hrusheva and Deputy Head of the Department for Monitoring the Implementation of Acts of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Accounting and Systematization of Legislation of the Legal Department Victoria Rudkevych.
Some employees of the Court Secretariat were also awarded departmental awards.
On the occasion of the first anniversary, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine prepared a jubilee brochure “25 years of activity of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine”. It describes how the Court began its work, its powers, organisational structure, composition, adopted acts, international cooperation, etc.
A brochure “25 Landmark Decisions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine” was prepared and included some decisions of the Court, emphasising the constitutional values, principles, human and citizen’s rights and freedoms, which were protected by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
They are available in electronic form below.
