THE MAIN CRITERIA FOR IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE DURING MARTIAL LAW

Abstract

The article makes some topical proposals for improving the work of the prosecution authorities, given the author’s considerable practical experience of exercising the powers of a district level prosecutor during the martial law regime. Particular emphasis is placed on the need to implement certain requirements of the Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Reforming Law Enforcement Agencies as Part of the Security and Defence Sector of Ukraine for 2023-2027, approved by the Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 273/2023 of 11 May2023. The author proposes specific practical steps aimed at improving the efficiency of the prosecution authorities by focusing on the development and observance of such basic criteria as security, independence, professionalism, openness, integrity, human centredness and efficiency.The article also focuses on the need for legislative changes and the introduction of promising developments which should contribute to increasing the productivity of the prosecution in general and the district prosecution in particular, but the full functioning of the prosecution authorities.First of all, it is an automated distribution of criminal proceedings in the prosecutor’s office similar to the automatic distribution of cases in courts, which regulates the procedural burden, prevents human interference in the distribution of proceedings to a particular prosecutor and eliminates corruption risks. Converting paper criminal proceedings into electronic form by introducing the so-called eCase Management System, which will improve the quality of procedural documents, optimise the time for interaction with the court and the defence, and prevent abuse. In addition, the article emphasises the need for a clear legislative delineation of the functions of the prosecutor’s office and key concepts of criminal procedure legislation which need to be clarified, and the role of prosecutorial self-government bodies should be strengthened, etc.