The state of implementation of the Overarching Strategic Plan for Law Enforcement Reform is the focus of civil society discussion with relevant ministries and institutions. ALI joined a meeting of the Expert Group under the Coordination Council for Monitoring the Implementation of the Action Plan aimed at implementing the Overarching Strategic Plan for Law Enforcement Reform as part of Ukraine’s security and defence sector for 2023–2027.
Participants discussed the key challenges in implementing law enforcement reforms, civil society’s view of their progress, including the preparation of independent analytical assessments. They also jointly identified formats for future interaction between state bodies and civil society to develop and institutionalise dialogue.
Yevhen Krapyvin, Head of the ‘Law and Order’ Area at ALI, emphasised the importance of NGO participation in monitoring reforms and preparing independent analytical assessments. ALI has been preparing the Shadow Report assessing Ukraine’s implementation of its European integration commitments for the third consecutive year, including under Chapter 24, one of the measures of which concerns the implementation of the Overarching Strategic Plan.
At present, many public policy documents contain measures related to the reform of law enforcement agencies, while the OAS and its Action Plan are the most comprehensive. For example, the Rule of Law Roadmap and the State Anti-Corruption Programme for 2023–2025 also contain a number of measures in this area, so public authorities must properly coordinate their implementation of public policy measures.
According to Olha Piskunova, Expert of the ‘Law and Order’ Area at ALI, the process should begin with the development of a relevant draft law, which should be prepared using a comprehensive approach and in close cooperation with all stakeholders and the public. This would help ensure an orderly process for implementing the Priorities.
The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, the Prosecutor General’s Office and law enforcement agencies, as well as international partners and representatives of civil society institutions — human rights organisations, academics and analytical centres involved in monitoring law enforcement reforms.
The event was organised by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine as part of the project ‘Reforming the Civilian Security Sector in Ukraine’, supported by the Government of the United Kingdom.
