4.8 Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine Background The events on the Kyiv Maidan and elsewhere across the country in November 2013 to February 2014 have more than ever exposed the need for across-the-board reform which will bring about fundamental changes to the values and principles behind the way the police operate in Ukraine. Given the situation, it is a unique opportunity for the Ukrainian authorities to gain momentum and begin making concrete steps toward restoring the public trust and boosting the morale of the police staff by developing and implementing police reform based on the principles of democracy. In addition, the current conflict increases risks to national security, particularly related to terrorism and organized crime, which affects a much wider segment of society. The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (the PCU) has worked with the Ukrainian police since the field operation was established in 1999; most of its focus has been on assistance in the areas of combating organized crime, including trafficking in human beings, cybercrime and gender-based violence; establishment of prevention mechanisms to eradicate torture and ill-treatment in the penitentiary system; and support in improving media relations of the Ministry of Interior to increase transparency of the agency’s functioning and reduce conflict potential in its interaction with media professionals. During 2014, the PCU, in co-operation with national partners, has largely adjusted its police-related activities to respond to the conflict situation in Ukraine. Police Reform In response to public demand and request from the national authorities, the PCU developed a multi-year extrabudgetary project to provide assistance in the development of the institutional framework for police reform in Ukraine. This project aims to a) provide support to the development of a strategic approach to police reform in Ukraine in line with the best practices of the OSCE pS; b) strengthen the capacity of Ukrainian police educational institutions to provide pre-service and in-service police training in line with the best practices of the OSCE pS; and c) raise awareness on the benefits of police reform among the Ukrainian population and police. The project will be implemented upon the availability of funding. In addition, the PCU supported the meetings of the donor co-ordination group on police reform, which were held on 19 June, 17 July and 22 October 2014. The meetings, attended by the police experts from the Council of Europe (CoE), EU (including EUAM27), NATO, SMMU28, Canada, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the USA, as well as the Ministry of Interior and civil society, focused on the development of a concept and strategy for police reform in Ukraine. The PCU also extensively co-operated with the Transnational Threats Department of the OSCE Secretariat in the development of the SPMU’s project interventions, particularly by facilitating meetings with Ukrainian and international partners, discussing the project ideas and commenting on the draft project proposals. Criminal Justice Reform On 23-24 October 2014, the PCU, the Supreme Court of Ukraine and Lviv State University of the Interior organized an international symposium on ensuring the coherence of judicial 27 28 116 The EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.