One-year Anniversary of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors: HCJ Summarised the Results

The High Council of Justice, with the support of EU Project Pravo-Justice, hosted a presentation of the results of the first year of operation of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors (SDI).

The event was attended by representatives of the SDI, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the High Council of Justice and the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, MPs, representatives of the Selection Commission for holding a competition for positions in the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors and EU Project Pravo-Justice, and others.

According to Taras Kuzyk, Head of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors at the High Council of Justice, between 23 December 2024 and 31 December 2025, 21 921 disciplinary complaints were submitted to the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors, of which:

• 10 896 – disciplinary complaints for which the Disciplinary Chamber had not made a decision to open a disciplinary case as of the day the SDI became operational;
• 11 025 – new disciplinary complaints, which is 36% more compared to 2024.

“As of now, the disciplinary inspectors have reviewed 10,382 complaints, which is 15% more than a year earlier. There are also more than 11,000 pending complaints,” said Taras Kuzyk.

In her turn, Oksana Kvasha, Deputy Head of the High Council of Justice, noted that the first year of the SDI’s operation was successful, as evidenced by the results of its work.

“The contribution of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors is significant for our country, particularly in the context of European integration. This is a tool that strengthens the accountability of the judiciary, builds public trust, and brings us closer to European standards of justice,” said Oksana Kvasha.

In the meantime, Volodymyr Chaban, Judicial Reform Component Lead at EU Project Pravo-Justice, added that the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors remains an important element of Ukraine’s European integration track.

“The SDI’s work has been highly praised within the framework of Ukraine Facility and in the European Commission’s report. As you know, the establishment of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors was one of Ukraine’s commitments linked to the European integration, and today the SDI continues moving along this track, fulfilling important tasks that have been set out in the Rule of Law Roadmap. For its part, EU Project Pravo-Justice Team is aware of how difficult it is to process such a large volume of disciplinary cases and is willing to reassure you that you are not alone on this path. The Project is there to continue providing necessary assistance – from technical support to training programmes,” said Volodymyr Chaban.

Reda Moliene, Head of the Selection Commission for the competition for positions in the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors, emphasised that the creation of the SDI was important not only in the context of Ukraine’s accession to the EU, but also as a necessary element of a modern disciplinary system which is compliant with international practices.

“We can see the first achievements. In particular, progress in the consideration of disciplinary complaints was noted in the Report in November 2025. It is also worth noting the systematisation and publication of disciplinary practice. However, the key achievement is that the SDI has been created; it works and demonstrates good results,” said Reda Moliene.

The presentation of the results of the first anniversary of the Service was attended by Denys Maslov, Ukrainian MP, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Legal Policy. He mentioned that the creation of a legislative framework for the operation of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors was an important stage of the reform. At the same time, according to him, the adoption of the law is only the first step, because real success shall be determined by how these norms work in practice.

“I am sure that adopting a good law is only half the battle. The real result begins with implementation: how we fulfil these norms, what senses we follow in our work, and whether we have proper capacity. The Service of Disciplinary Inspectors, in my opinion, is a perfect example of how, joint efforts may bring to life an institution that is result-oriented and works for the benefit of the state,” stated Denys Maslov.

For his part, Serhii Pohribnyi, Secretary of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court, drew attention to the increase in the number of complaints to the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court in cases related to the disciplinary liability of judges. According to him, the said category of complaints is one of the most difficult in the practice of the Grand Chamber, and statistics indicate a significant increase in the workload and active use of the right to appeal. At the same time, he emphasised the key role of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors in ensuring the fairness of disciplinary procedures.

“Appeals against decisions of the High Council of Justice in disciplinary proceedings are one of the most difficult categories in the work of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court. In 2025 alone, we received 56 such complaints, which is 70% more than in the previous period, and we expect this number to continue to grow. This is not only a challenge, but also a signal that both complainants and judges are actively exercising the right to appeal. In this system, the work of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors remains a key link. It is the quality of the preparation of materials, the validity of conclusions, compliance with deadlines, and the principle of objectivity that determines whether the disciplinary procedure will be fair,” he said.

It is worth reminding that the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors of the High Council of Justice started its work on 23 December 2024. It was created to exercise the powers of the High Council of Justice in terms of conducting disciplinary proceedings in respect of judges.