Ukraine is set to enhance its judicial system by establishing new administrative courts. President Volodymyr Zelensky has officially approved a law that introduces two new judicial bodies. This move is a significant step in fulfilling commitments made to international partners, including the EU and IMF.
The new legislation will create a Specialized District Administrative Court and a Specialized Appellate Administrative Court. These courts will focus on resolving disputes between citizens and central government authorities.
The draft law was submitted by the president in May 2025 and received support from the Verkhovna Rada on September 16. The establishment of these new administrative courts was a requirement from international financial institutions, outlined in the Ukraine Facility plan, and Ukraine was supposed to implement this by 2024, but the process was delayed.
According to the law, both courts will be located in Kyiv, and their jurisdiction will extend nationwide. A competition for judges' positions will be announced within a month, and an expert council will be created to assess candidates' integrity.
Additionally, the new Higher Administrative Court (HAC) will replace the dissolved District Administrative Court (DAC) and will handle cases related to national authorities, such as the NBU.