On 27-28 November, the National University of Ostroh Academy hosted the Applied Research Conference 'Malynovskyi Readings-2025'. The event is organised by the I. Malynovskyi Institute of Law in co-organisation with the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, 'Hub of the EU Solutions'.
The rector of Ostroh Academy, Doctor of Science (Psychology), Full Professor Eduard Balashov, and the director of the I. Malynovskyi Institute of Law, Doctor of Philosophy (Law), Bohdan Mykhalchuk, delivered welcoming remarks.
"The Malynovskyi Readings is an event that traditionally brings together the best representatives of Ukraine's legal community. I want to express my special gratitude to the speakers, experts and everyone who contributed to the organisation of the event. Your experience, integrity and dedication to the law are shaping a new, high-quality Ukrainian legal education and science. We live in times when the law should not only be a text of norms, but also an instrument of justice, security, and stability in society. Today's discussions, speeches and ideas will make an essential contribution to the development of legal science and education. They will continue the glorious traditions of Ostroh Academy."
"This year, Malynovskyi Readings is not only about academic discussion, but also about providing a space for legal schools in Ukraine to exchange experiences. Today, we will discuss the challenges and prospects of higher education, and tomorrow we will organise a professional discussion on current issues of property rights protection and the work of scientific sections. In total, we received over 150 abstracts for the conference."
The conference was attended by researchers, academic faculty from Ukrainian higher education institutions, students, Master's and Doctoral candidates, judicial and law enforcement officials, and practising lawyers.
After his welcoming remarks, Mykhailo Smokovych, Head of the Cassation Administrative Court within the Supreme Court, announced the winners of the creative competition for the best essay on the topic 'Protection of Constitutional Rights of Individuals in Administrative Proceedings' and presented a diploma to the winner, a third-year law student of Ostroh Academy, Viktoriia Vakulinska, and diplomas to the participants – students of the university who also took part in the competition.
"49 students took part in the competition, including 22 from Ostroh Academy, the largest number from a single university in Ukraine. Continue to participate in such contests in the future, because you are our future, the followers in building a state where democracy, the rule of law and human rights must be at the highest level."
Mykhailo Smokovych also commended Ostroh Academy, represented by Rector Eduard Balashov, for having the most significant number of participants from the university in the essay competition and presented him with a commemorative coin minted by the National Bank of Ukraine to mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Code of Administrative Procedure in our country.
Subsequently, conference participants joined a public discussion entitled ‘Vision for the Development of Higher Legal Education in Ukraine,’ moderated by Vice-Rector for Research and Teaching, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor Dmytro Shevchuk. Among the speakers were:
- Mykhailo Smokovych, Head of the Cassation Administrative Court within the Supreme Court, Doctor of Science (Law), Professor;
- Volodymyr Venger, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Candidate of Science (Law), Associate Professor;
- Olga Balatska, Judge of the Rivne City Court of Rivne Oblast, Candidate of Science (Law), Full Professor of the Department of Civil Law Disciplines at the National University of Ostroh Academy;
- Anton Demchuk, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Lesia Ukrainka Volyn National University, Candidate of Science (Law);
- Viktor Zakharchuk, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Leonid Yuzkov Khmelnytskyi University of Management and Law, Candidate of Science (Law).
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Institute of Law for organising the Malynovskyi Readings. I am very pleased that Ostroh Academy hosts such events, which raise important issues and bring many people together.”
The event also featured open lectures delivered by guest speakers.
- Yurii Kliuchkovskyi, Doctor of Science (Law), Candidate of Science (Physics and Mathematics), Senior Research Fellow at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Member of Parliament of Ukraine of the III-VI convocations, talked on the topic 'The Rule of Law and Local Self-Government: the Challenges of War';
- Marta-Mariia Yatsynina, Candidate of Science (Law), Senior Lecturer at the Department of Theory of Law and Human Rights, Faculty of Law, Ukrainian Catholic University, presented on the topic 'Interrogation in Criminal Proceedings';
- Roman Lutskyi, Director of the Academician Ivan Lutskyi Research Institute, Doctor of Science (Law), Full Professor at King Danylo University, spoke on the topic 'The Rule of Law, Civil Society and Democracy';
- Anastasiia Mazurok, Deputy Executive Director for Operations at Transparency International Ukraine (TIU), and Pavlo Demchuk, Senior Legal Advisor at TIU, discussed the topic of 'Advocating for Anti-Corruption Initiatives and Reforms: the Experience of TIU.'
The first day of the conference concluded with a roundtable discussion on "The Network of Higher Law Schools – Common Standards, Common Challenges," held at the NaUOA Art Cluster. The session was moderated by Bohdan Mykhalchuk, the Director of the Institute of Law at Ostroh Academy.
Representatives from the National University of Ostroh Academy, Lesia Ukrainka Volyn National University, Leonid Yuzkov Khmelnytskyi University of Management and Law, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, King Danylo University, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, and Ukrainian Catholic University participated in the discussion. Additionally, practising lawyers joined in to address the issues presented.
The second day began with a historical lecture on the topic ‘Can we consider the Lithuanian Statutes to be part of Ukrainian legal heritage?’, delivered by Petro Kraliuk, Head of the Department of Theory and History of the State and Law at the NaUOA, Doctor of Science (Philosophy), Full Professor.
This was followed by a public discussion entitled ‘Protecting Property Rights: Current Challenges for the Courts and Practice,’ moderated by Bohdan Shabarovskyi, Senior Lecturer at the Vasyl Popeliushko Department of Criminal Law Disciplines at the NaUOA, and Senior Associate at Vasyl Kisil & Partners.
The speakers at the public discussion were
- Viktor Prorok, Judge of the Supreme Court in the Civil Court of Cassation;
- Oleh Kachmar, partner at Vasil Kisil & Partners Law Firm;
- Yuliia Vakoliuk, Deputy Head of the Specialised Environmental Prosecutor's Office (acting as a department) of the Rivne Regional Prosecutor's Office;
- Inna Bernatska, private notary, Chair of the Higher Qualification Commission of Notaries at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
The conference concluded with the scientific sections' work.
