Lustration as a mechanism of purification of state power: theoretical and deontological facets
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35774/app2021.03.025Keywords:
lustration, purification of state power, virtue, the mechanism of lustration, the principles of lustrationAbstract
The article is devoted to investigating of the theoretical and deontological aspects of lustration. Lustration is defined as an effective mechanism for purification of state power in transitional democracies, aimed at removing from power officials who have compromised themselves or are anti-people. The deontological aspect of lustration is its focus on ensuring the virtue (integrity) of officials, which provides for the observance of moral principles and ethical standards, and the legitimacy of sources of income and wealth, and the absence of conflicts of interest, and the ability of an official to make fair and balanced decisions, despite any external pressure. The lustrations mechanism, from a theoretical point of view, encompasses a set of interrelated and interdetermining components, which include: legal norms, principles, legal measures, legal facts, legal relations, etc.
Emphasis is placed on the technical and moral aspects of lustration. The first is that the authorities that carry out lustration must be legitimate. The second is the moral aspect. Often people who are not directly involved in the regime's crimes are subject to lustration. This means that people held certain positions that involved following the orders of the leadership, but in fact they did not do anything illegal. It is also important to ensure a balance between a democratic society and human rights.
Lustration should be carried out in accordance with the legislation that defines its legal basis and principles, which should really underlie the implementation of lustration measures and procedures. For example, the principles of presumption of innocence, individual responsibility and guarantee of the right to defense, although enshrined in Ukraine in the text of the law, but in practice remained declarative, as was recognized by the ECtHR.
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