Judges in Kyiv, who do not work during the war, received more than UAH 76 million in salary

In Kyiv, during the war, over 76 million hryvnias were paid from the state budget to judges who actually do not fulfill their duties. According to the law, judges whose term of office has expired or who have been suspended continue to receive a salary until they are dismissed or voluntarily retire. There are 48 such judges in the district courts of the capital, who receive significant amounts from the state budget.

Dmytro Chernyshov, journalist of “Informator”, received answers from the territorial administration of the State Judicial Administration in Kyiv and the Northern Commercial Court of Appeal. According to these data, since the beginning of 2022, more than 72 million hryvnias have been paid to judges who did not hear cases. The former head of the Supreme Court, Vsevolod Knyazev, also received a salary of more than UAH 3.1 million per year without working.

The territorial administration of the State Judicial Administration for the city of Kyiv reported that 28 judges in the district courts of the capital do not exercise their powers, but receive a salary. From the beginning of 2022 to June 2024, they were paid a total of 71 million 526 thousand 18.5 hryvnias. Data on judges who do not work but receive a salary in the Kyiv Administrative Court of Appeal, the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal of the city of Kyiv were not provided to the Informant. On the positive side, it is noted that taxes are paid to the state and local budgets from these salaries. For example, 18% of salary is withheld as personal income tax, of which 40% goes to the budget of Kyiv (over UAH 5.5 million), and the rest goes to the state budget.

In response to a journalist’s request, the Economic Court of Kyiv reported that three judges had not administered justice since the beginning of 2022. One judge received a salary only in 2022 – UAH 687,470, two more continue to receive salaries. For 2.5 years, they were paid 4 million 196 thousand 921 hryvnias.

In the Northern Commercial Court of Appeal, which is located in Kyiv, it was reported that one judge was suspended by the High Council of Justice from January 9, 2024. For almost six months of forced absenteeism, he was charged UAH 613,464. But the list of judges who do not work may be even longer.

A difficult situation also arose with the District Administrative Court of Kyiv. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law on the liquidation of this court on December 13, 2022, and it entered into force on December 15. The court has stopped hearing cases, but the liquidation of the court does not mean the automatic dismissal of the judges. For example, the former head of the OASK, Pavlo Vovk, received more than UAH 1.8 million in salary in 2023, when the court no longer existed. It is possible that other judges of this court also receive a salary.

The Supreme Court and other judicial bodies have explained that if a judge does not exercise his powers, he still continues to receive a salary in the “”average”. work, but not to consider cases.

Some judges have not administered justice for more than 7 years, but continue to receive salaries. Some of the judges have been suspended from work, but they are still being paid. There are also judges who are enrolled in the state, but have not yet taken the oath and do not exercise their powers, although they receive a salary for their presence in the state. The liquidation of the court, as in the case of OASK, does not mean the automatic dismissal of judges, but some of them may be transferred to other courts to continue their work.