In conditions of war, political interference in the functioning of the prosecutor’s office and law enforcement agencies poses a significant threat to proper democratic processes within the country. To effectively prevent and counter crime, there is a need for stable and effective operation of these authorities, particularly when it comes to restoring justice for victims of war crimes, addressing the issues of treason and collaborationism, and managing the overall increase in crime in certain areas of public life. To address these challenges, it is important to minimize political influence over personnel appointments to the top positions in these bodies. The decisive factor for such appointments should be professionalism, which can be assessed through a competitive selection process for relevant positions.

This publication provides information on the steps needed in the area of state policy aimed at depoliticizing prosecutorial and law enforcement agencies, particularly by introducing competitive principles for the appointment of the Prosecutor General and leaders of law enforcement agencies, based on the practices of the EU states and the United Kingdom.

The publication is intended for a wide range of legal professionals, scholars, employees of prosecutor’s offices and law enforcement agencies, as well as anyone interested in the reform of law and order system in Ukraine.