Minister of Justice discusses reform progress and opening of the Fundamentals Cluster with the European Commission

In Brussels, Ukraine’s Minister of Justice, German Galushchenko, held a meeting with Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations.

During the meeting, the Minister provided updates on the progress achieved and the challenges faced in fulfilling Ukraine’s commitments under the Ukraine Facility and the Rule of Law Roadmap. He emphasized that these documents form the core of Ukraine’s reform agenda.

German Galushchenko paid particular attention to the opening of Cluster 1: Fundamentals of the EU Accession Process, stating: “Ukraine has met the conditions for its opening. This is not just a technical step but a crucial stage in consolidating key reforms in the areas of the rule of law and anti-corruption. It brings our country closer to full-fledged EU membership.”

A significant topic of discussion was the modernization and strengthening of Ukraine’s penitentiary system. The Minister stressed that penitentiary reform is an integral part of ensuring human rights, as proper detention conditions, effective probation, and resocialization are key indicators of a state governed by the rule of law.

The conversation also covered the implementation of European Court of Human Rights rulings as an effective tool for identifying structural issues and determining ways to address them.

The Minister of Justice reaffirmed Ukraine’s unwavering commitment to implementing systemic reforms and emphasized that the country will continue to resolutely align with European Union standards to achieve its strategic goal of EU membership. In turn, Gert Jan Koopman assured continued EU support for Ukraine’s key transformative changes.