Judicial scandal in Kyiv: Elena Lisovskaya was dismissed for life

The High Council of Justice decided to resign Judge Elena Lisovskaya of the Desnyansky District Court of Kyiv. At the same time, establishing her lifelong maintenance in the amount of approximately 100 thousand hryvnia monthly.  

This was reported by Investigative.Info.

A judge may resign honorably after completing 15 years of judicial experience and in the absence of open disciplinary complaints that could lead to dismissal. In retirement, a judge retains immunity and is retained by the state for life. The amount of this monthly deduction depends on salary and length of service - the more years, the larger the deduction. These payments can reach hundreds of thousands of hryvnias per month.

Elena Lisovskaya retired with 21 years of experience as a judge of the Desnyansky District Court of the city of Kyiv.

During the “Revolution of Dignity,” Lisovskaya worked as a judge in the Desnyansky District Court of Kyiv. The woman was deprived of the right to drive a car and fined protesters who blocked the road to the residence of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych in Mezhyhirya.

Lisovskaya made decisions based on reports of administrative violations by police officers. Most of these protocols were falsified or filled out with errors, so after 2014, judges’ decisions based on these protocols were canceled and appealed. Lisovskaya's decisions were no exception.

During an interview with the High Qualifications Commission of Judges (HQJC), Lisovskaya explained that she did not know that she was judging protesters. This outraged Ukrainian activists.

“This statement is an outright lie, because at the court hearing on the deprivation of a driver’s license, the activist said that on December 29, 2013, he and his friends were heading to Yanukovych’s residence in Mezhyhirya, moving in a convoy of cars. If movement in a convoy of cars, which, according to various estimates, numbered from 2 to 4 thousand cars, is not considered participation in a protest action, then Judge Lisovskaya obviously needs another test - for logic,” wrote the head of the NGO “All-Ukrainian Association “Automaidan” »» Ekaterina Butko.

Lisovskaya also hid the fact that she judged the protesters. In a special declaration of virtue for judges, it is necessary, in particular, to indicate involvement in the oppression of protesters. Lisovskaya lied, which is why the High Council of Justice (HCJ) opened a disciplinary complaint.

As a result, the Supreme Court decided that the judge had accidentally lied in the declaration and Lisovskaya escaped punishment.

Lisovskaya also opposed judicial reform. She is a member of the judicial organization that appealed to Vladimir Zelensky to veto the law introducing open competitions for positions in the High Council of Justice. This law provided for the use of independent experts with international experience to test candidates for virtue.

Lisovskaya also has problems with declarations. The 2019 Public Virtue Council (PVC) opinion states that the judge owns a 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander and a 2009 Toyota Camry.

The judge explained that she purchased the Mitsubishi Outlander “with funds received from the sale of a car that she rightfully owned.” But the OSD did not find evidence in the declarations.

The judge’s husband had the right to use a Toyota Camry from 2010 to 2013, but Lisovskaya did not indicate this in any declarations.

Also, in 2009, the judge purchased an apartment for 777 thousand UAH. in Kyiv with an area of ​​almost 100 square meters, but declared it in 2011. Lisovskaya explained that she bought the house with money received from the sale of a privatized apartment. She received this apartment while working as a judge. However, the OSD discovered that Lisovskaya never declared the apartment and the income from its sale.

Despite this, the judge successfully passed the HQCC inspection and remained in her post. Activists believe that the commission simply ignored all the facts for which Lisovskaya should have been fired.

Now the judge is honorably retired and receives at least 100 thousand UAH from the Ukrainian budget. Overall, Ukraine spent 6.2 billion hryvnia maintaining retired judges during the full-scale invasion. For comparison, for this money you could buy almost 365 thousand FPV drones or more than 15 thousand vehicles for the military.