New mechanisms for making prosecutors responsible and for ensuring the functioning of institutions in charge of examining disciplinary deviations are stipulated in a Parliament decision on the strategy for reforming the prosecution service that was approved by the Government. Minister of Justice Oleg Efrim, quoted by IPN, said the bill defines the place and role of the prosecution service in the law system and its powers, and ensures its depolarization.

“We suggest modifying the procedure for naming the prosecutor general who should be confirmed in the post by the head of state, at the suggestion of the Supreme Council of Prosecutors, for one term of seven years. Such a change implies the amendment of the Constitution. Until now the prosecutor general was appointed by Parliament,” said Oleg Efrim.

The new strategy envisions the institution of guarantees for ensuring the independence of the prosecution service and prosecutors. A separate budget will be agreed according to the ‘performance-based funding’ principle, which would ensure the exclusion of leverage of influence on the service. The hierarchy of prosecutors will be clearly regulated. A mechanism will be instituted for disciplinarily and criminally punishing prosecutors. The mechanism for accepting prosecutors into the guild will be modified so that it enables selecting the best candidates.

The bill provides that the salaries and pensions of prosecutors will be raised three times and the specialized prosecutor’s offices, except for the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime, will be eliminated.