Quality Control

4.1 Ukraine Government Contact List

Constitution of Ukraine

With the proclamation of its independence on 24 August 1991, and the adoption of a constitution on 28 June 1996, Ukraine became a semi-presidential republic. However, in 2004, Member of Parliament introduced changes to the Constitution, which tipped the balance of power in favor of a parliamentary system. From 2004 to 2010, the legitimacy of the 2004 Constitutional amendments had official sanction, both with the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, and most major political parties. Despite this, on 30 September 2010, the Constitutional Court ruled that the amendments were null and void, forcing a return to the terms of the 1996 Constitution and again making Ukraine's political system more presidential.

President, parliament, and government

The President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term and is the formal head of state. Ukraine's legislative branch includes the 450-seat unicameral parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. The parliament is primarily responsible for the formation of the executive branch and the Cabinet of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. However, the President still retains the authority to nominate the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense for parliamentary approval, as well as the power to appoint the Prosecutor General and the head of the Security Service.

Laws, acts of the parliament and the cabinet, presidential decrees, and acts of the Crimean parliament may be abrogated by the Constitutional Court, should they be found to violate the constitution. Other normative acts are subject to judicial review. The Supreme Court is the main body in the system of courts of general jurisdiction. Local self-government is officially guaranteed. Local councils and city mayors are popularly elected and exercise control over local budgets. The heads of regional and district administrations are appointed by the President following the proposals of the Prime Minister.

Ukraine has a large number of political parties, many of which have tiny memberships and are unknown to the general public. Small parties often join in multi-party coalitions (electoral blocs) to participate in parliamentary elections.

Courts and law enforcement

The courts enjoy legal, financial, and constitutional freedom guaranteed by Ukrainian law since 2002. Judges are largely well protected from dismissal (except in the instance of gross misconduct). Court justices are appointed by presidential decree for an initial period of five years, after which Ukraine's Supreme Council confirms their positions for life. Although there are still problems, the system is considered to have been much improved since Ukraine's independence in 1991. The Supreme Court is regarded as an independent and impartial body and has on several occasions ruled against the Ukrainian government. The World Justice Project ranks Ukraine 76 out of 140 countries surveyed in its annual Rule of Law Index.

Legal proceedings in Ukraine in civil, economic, administrative, and criminal cases are carried out in the state language. A professional judge must speak the state language. The parties involved in the case submit to the court written procedural documents and evidence outlined in the state language. Persons involved in the proceedings in court shall be provided with the right to perform oral procedural actions (to make statements, give testimonies and explanations, make petitions and complaints, ask questions, etc.) in their native language or in another language in which they speak, using the services of an interpreter in the manner prescribed by the procedural legislation.

Taxation in Ukraine is regulated by the Tax Code of Ukraine and other regulatory legal acts. The competent authority exercising control over compliance with tax laws and full/timely payment of taxes is the State Tax Service of Ukraine is under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

The State Tax Service of Ukraine is the central executive body in the field of taxes in Ukraine, which was created in 2019 by dividing the State Fiscal Service. The activities of the service are directed and coordinated by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine through the Minister of Finance.

The service implements:

1) state tax policy;

2) state policy on the administration of a single contribution to compulsory state social insurance;

3) state policy in the field of combating offenses during the application of tax legislation, as well as legislation on the payment of a single contribution.

The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine is a central executive agency that is directed by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine is a system of executive power and is the main agency in the system of central executive authorities on the formation and implementation of the following: Public policies for economic and social development; Pricing; Industrial; Investment; Foreign policy; State policy in the field of trade; The state regional policy; Public policy on business development; Technical regulation (standardization, metrology, certification, quality management) and consumer protection And inter-agency coordination on economic and social cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union.

Ministers of Ukraine are specially authorized for public procurement, metrology, public-private partnerships, regulatory policy, licensing, permitting system in economic activity, and defense contracts.

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine is another important regulatory body. The State Sanitary-Epidemiology Services of Ukraine is part of the Ministry of Health and exercises control and supervision over compliance with the standards and specifications during transportation, storage, and use (operation) of non-food products. It issues hygiene certificates and other authorizing documents required by law, etc. the State Service of Ukraine for Medicines and Drug Control, which was also created under the Ministry of Health, provides permits to import into Ukraine new medical products. It also issues opinions on the quality of the imported products.

The State Border Service of Ukraine (Border Guard Service Administration) is the central executive body, whose activities are directed and coordinated by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine through the Minister of Interior and implements government policy on the protection of the state border and protection of the sovereign rights of Ukraine in its exclusive (maritime) economic zone. By the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, decrees of the President of Ukraine, and resolutions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine is the State body responsible for issuing permits for humanitarian cargo (recognizing cargo as humanitarian).

The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine is the main body in the system of central executive authorities to form and ensure the implementation of state policy in the following areas:

• employment and labor migration;
• labor relations, social protection, and social services of the population;
• on family and children issues, rehabilitation and recreation of children, as well as protection of the rights of deported persons on a national basis who returned to Ukraine;
• by a specially authorized central executive body on ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men, preventing domestic violence, and combating human trafficking;
• the central executive body, whose powers include adoption and protection of children's rights;
• by a specially authorized central executive body for humanitarian assistance.