On the nineteenth of September 2013 Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adoptedamendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the court fee” (draft of Law No. 0937, Cabinetof Ministers of Ukraine). They provide new rates of court fees, in particularin cases on remunerating of moral (non-pecuniary) damage. Amendments foresee,among others, return to the progressive scale of court fees payments accordingto which the sum of the court fee depends on the amount of stated claims on remuneratingof moral (non-pecuniary) damage.

Thus, if theLaw is signed, in case of filling the lawsuit on remuneration of non-pecuniarydamage with its value up to 5 amounts of minimum wage (5735 UAH), the amount ofthe court fee is going to be 0,2 of the amount of minimum wage (approx. 300UAH). If plaintiff demands from 5 to 50 amounts of minimum wage (up to 57 350UAH) – the sum of the fee will increase up to 5% of the lawsuit, but it will benot less than 0,3 of the amount of minimum wage (344 UAH), and in case of especiallysensitive injured persons that claim more than 50 amounts of minimum wage – itwill increase up to 10% of the cost of the lawsuit.

Current version of the Law on court fee provide maximum amount of courtfee – 3 minimal wages (3441 UAH). It means that a person that paid 3 minimalwages could claim for unlimited amount of moral (non-pecuniary) damage whathappened during last 2 years. Absence of progressive scale opened possibilitiesof pressure on mass media and certain journalists and also brought backpractice of mandative closing of mass media after application of disproportionalfine sanctions.

 

In case of signing this law by President, it will come into force on thenext day after its official publication.

For more information, please, follow the link:

http://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=45091