Ukraine president to appeal against verdict on Constitutional Court head

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will appeal against Wednesday's Supreme Court decision overturning his decree to dismiss the head of the Constitutional Court, Interfax-Ukraine quoted Zelenskiy's office adviser as saying. Zelenskiy dismissed Oleksandr Tupytskyi, who had opposed some anti-corruption reforms, in March, calling his actions a threat to national security.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will appeal against Wednesday's Supreme Court decision overturning his decree to dismiss the head of the Constitutional Court, Interfax-Ukraine quoted Zelenskiy's office adviser as saying.

Zelenskiy dismissed Oleksandr Tupytskyi, who had opposed some anti-corruption reforms, in March, calling his actions a threat to national security. "The president acted lawfully and in the interest of the society. We do not recognise this decision of the Supreme Court in any case," Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser of the head of the presidential office, was quoted as saying.

The Supreme Court said in a statement that Zelenskiy's decree violated "the guarantees of independence and immunity of a judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine established by the constitution and laws of Ukraine". It said the ruling may be appealed to its Grand Chamber.

The Constitutional Court under Tupytskyi ruled last October against some anti-corruption laws, citing as excessive the punishment for false information on officials' asset declarations, and also struck down some powers of the main NAZK anti-graft agency. It caused a long delay in the disbursement of new loans from Ukraine's international supporters, including the International Monetary Fund, although parliament later restored some of the legislation.

Restoring all anti-corruption measures is a key condition of unlocking more loans under a $5-billion stand-by programme approved by the IMF in 2020. Ukraine has received only one tranche since then. Tupytskyi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. He has previously accused Zelenskiy of trying to engineer a "constitutional coup" by removing him.