HVJE Delays Review of Judge Skochok’s Case Again: Political Struggles Continue in the Judicial System
The definitive resolution regarding Judge Tetyana Skochok, who previously served as an assistant to Pavlo Vovk and was a judge at the dissolved OASK, remains pending.
On August 11, the first disciplinary chamber of the High Council of Justice postponed its review of her disciplinary case for the third time, which had been initiated back in May.
The primary reason for the delay was the emergence of questions concerning the legality and grounds for initiating such proceedings.
HVJE representatives stated that during the meeting, several issues arose that require thorough clarification, prompting the members to request additional time to resolve all circumstances.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 15, and according to HVJE member Tetyana Bondarenko, more transparent explanations concerning the reasons for further delays are expected.
This decision was not surprising given the high political and legal resonance surrounding Skochok.
Meanwhile, media reports highlight her involvement in political conflicts and court procedures, which intensifies interest in the case.
According to gathered information, Skochok previously worked as an assistant to ex-deputy head of the Presidential Administration Andriy Portnov, during his time as a parliamentarian.
Since 2010, she has served as a judge at the liquidated Kyiv District Administrative Court.
Journalists point out that her activities in the past have been closely linked to high-level political and oligarchic circles.
It is known that under the leadership of the infamous Pavlo Vovk, she was among the first to attempt to block judicial qualification assessments, made political decisions, and supported the concealment of public information, thereby decreasing transparency in the judicial system.
In response to journalist inquiries, Skochok denied influence from Vovk on her decisions and claimed her rulings are based solely on legal norms and case circumstances.
It is also known that she worked as an assistant to former MP Andriy Portnov during the period when he was deputy head of the Presidential Administration.
Since 2010, she has held a position at Kyiv District Administrative Court, including overseeing cases such as the 2019 lawsuit filed by MP Oleksandr Dubinsky to restrict the international travel of officials during the electoral period.
Her other decisions relate to various high-profile cases involving law enforcement and political figures.
Her actions and motives are under scrutiny, given her connections to influential political and judicial circles.
This is further confirmed by reports of her involvement in cases related to senior officials and political leadership.
Recall that on August 12, the HVJE made a decision to fully staff the VCKKS, appointing Ihor Kushnir as its member, which is expected to accelerate judicial reforms and cleanse the system of potential corruption and political influence.