About Issue 2 of 2022

Abstract

This issue was undoubtedly the most challenging in my life due to events that I would never have believed could happen in my lifetime or afterward. The heredity of WW2 seemed to me so remarkable and obvious, contemporary human rights values looked so strong and indisputable, that any such open and destructive violations of these rights could hardly be imagined by even the most sceptical people in Europe. Despite many reasonable grounds for this scepticism appearing since 2014, I preferred to believe that these were only politicians’ games and that nobody could ever cross this Rubicon. Yet, during these last months, the whole world has been faced with unprecedented acts against the independent and democratic state in Europe, the ancient nation, and the whole idea of the rule of law. The war in Ukraine has become an event of worldwide relevance: the effects of this war will be borne by future generations of Europeans who are suffering now because of it. Millions of Ukrainians moved to the EU member states and abroad, leaving their homes and property. Many individuals have become victims of war crimes. All this should be the basis for rethinking access to justice as a concept, as well as our system of preventing such a conflict in the future. Even though this war is not the first war in Europe, we must learn lessons from the current events and take the next steps to uphold the rule of law and human rights protection, as was done after WW2. The necessity of an effective conflict resolution system is clear if we are to prevent overcrowded courts and resolve the uncertainties in European society at large.