The Verkhovna Rada voted to establish a Specialized District Administrative Court (SDAC) and a Specialized Appeal Administrative Court (SAAC) in Kyiv, extending the jurisdiction of these courts to the entire territory of Ukraine.
This was reported by the MP from “Voice” Yaroslav Zheleznyak.
Bill No. 13302 was supported by 250 MPs. It was introduced to the Verkhovna Rada by President Volodymyr Zelensky and marked as urgent. Prior to this, the High Council of Justice supported the document. In addition to the creation of courts, the bill provides that the government and the judicial administration are instructed to organize their functioning. The explanatory note emphasizes that the courts should improve access to justice and protect peopleʼs rights in cases against the state.
The administrative court will be able to challenge the appointment of heads of ministries, heads of all anti-corruption agencies, prosecutors of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), as well as any decrees of the central government, except for presidential decrees. Appeals against presidential decrees are considered exclusively by the Supreme Court.
The Specialized Administrative Court of Appeal will act as a court of appeal and review the decisions of the Specialized District Administrative Court.
- In April 2021, President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada as an urgent bill on the liquidation of the Kyiv District Administrative Court. Zelensky stressed that the Kyiv District Administrative Court had never been able to regain trust in itself, and called the proposal itself a signal to any court that “betrayed respect for the law”.
- In December 2022, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a bill on the liquidation of the Kyiv District Administrative Court and the formation of the Kyiv City District Administrative Court. On the same day, Volodymyr Zelensky signed this law.
- On February 25, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada voted in the second reading for the bill on the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Court. The decision was supported by 234 deputies. The document was signed by the President.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.