Lithuanian representative attends UINL preparatory expert mission in Kiev

Representatives from International Union of Notaries (UINL), Estonian and Lithuanian notarial chambers took part in sessions at Kiev in order to assess the compliance of Ukrainian notariate to the principles of the Latin notary system.This preparatory mission took place ahead of the Second evaluation mission by UINL, due to be organized later this year. The delegation consisted of the President of the UINL International Notarial Co-operation Commission, Mr. Michel Merlotti of Switzerland,  Mr. Tiit Sepp, notary of Estonia and Mr. Marius Stračkaitis, President of the Chamber of Notaries of Lithuania. Meetings took place in Kiev on 25-26 October 2016.
Developments in Ukrainian notariate after its accession to UINL in Lima in 2013 have been discussed during the sessions.
For the period of the last 3 years Chamber of Notaries of Ukraine has been largely affected by controversies, related to the dispute regarding the legitimacy of the elections of the president. In April 2016 the assembly of the Chamber was held upon the initiative by one third of its members. New President, Mr. Vladimir Marchenko, the notary from Kharkiv, was elected and new Statute of the Chamber was approved. On the eve of the visit by UINL delegation, on September 23, another extraordinary assembly of the Chamber took place. Kiev notary Mrs. Olga Onyshtchuk was elected as Vice President, as well as some new members of the Chamber Council -- Rada -- were approved. Some amendments to the Statute were approved as well.
Both assemblies were broadcasted live on internet, therefore no questions or uncertainties regarding the legitimacy of the assemblies have been raised.
UINL delegation looked into the legislative enviroment of notariate, the procedures of notaries' appointment, control and training. Additional attention was dedicated to the fate of notarial archives at the territories of Ukraine, illegaly annexed by Russian Federation or being partly occupied by illegitimate so-called people republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.