The constitutional identity of Ukraine and its alignment with the European integration process, especially amidst the ongoing war, were at the focus of the Third Mariupol Forum, held in Kyiv on 4 October.
Over 100 national and international participants joined the discussion on Ukrainian constitutional identity and European standards of constitutional justice, including the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, Court of Justice of the European Union, and the constitutional courts of EU member states.
During the discussions, it was emphasized that Ukraine’s constitutional identity is shaped by its historical state-building experience and modern aspirations for integration into the European legal space.
Mykola Gnatovskyy, Judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Ukraine, highlighted:
“The constitutional identity and European values cannot be contrasted. The constitutional identity of European countries, including Ukraine, is the European values, that is, it includes the need to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
In discussing constitutional identity, participants paid particular attention to gender equality and non-discrimination, as well as the challenges Ukraine faces due to the war.
This event was organised with the support of the Constitution Court of Ukraine, the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, and the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the project “Support to development of the constitutional justice in Ukraine”.
