On Feb.2, the National Council of Reforms held a meeting to discuss progress and further steps. President Petro Poroshenko, who is also a chairman of the council, urged colleagues to speed up changes in the judiciary. "The only branch, which doesn't allow for full reboot of the government is judicial. So far, it stands as a rock and breaks the most powerful reformist waves,” he said. He welcomed two bills advanced by parliament in January but noted that he is not ready to have the role of an outside observer of the court system."The claims for the situation in the courts are addressed to the president by inertia...If we let the corrupt judicial corps stew in its own juice, neither we nor our children will see the changes in the judicial system," he said. After the discussion, the council decided to recommend letting the president appoint judges, liquidate or reorganize courts.Eka Zguladze, deputy interior minister, reported progress in recruitment for the new patrol service, which is expected to replace notoriously corrupt traffic police in Kyiv by July. More than 27,000 candidates have applied since Jan.19, according to her. Some 72 percent of them have higher education while 18 percent are students currently gaining higher education. “Congratulations Kyiv, you will have the most educated police in the world,” Zguladze said.
