EU approves €3 billion Ukraine loan despite critics calling judicial reform an anti-reform
The EU Council authorized a €3 billion package for Ukraine, tying part of the aid to a judges' integrity declaration law that experts say weakens accountability.
On Sept. 24 the Council of the European Union approved a €3 billion package for Ukraine as part of the Ukraine Facility lending plan, with €386.3 million linked to a June law on judicial integrity declarations. The law replaces detailed asset-related questions with broad queries, which the watchdog Dejure says weakens judges’ accountability and makes it easier to evade responsibility. Anti-corruption group AutoMaidan echoed this view, adding that the measure does not tackle longstanding Supreme Court corruption.
EU officials described the requirement as “satisfactorily fulfilled” and claimed it improves transparency, while critics argue the EU is rewarding an anti-reform. The loan package also obliges Ukraine to advance reforms in electricity, banking, agriculture and railways. Justice minister Denys Maslov defended the legislation as genuine reform, despite accusations of delay on Supreme Court changes.
Why it matters
It reveals how EU funding may be tied to reforms that could undermine judicial accountability in Ukraine.
In this story
