The dissertation is the author''s analysis of the steps Ukraine is (not) undertaking in order to modify its legal system to make in conformity with European standards. The dissertation covers the issue of the right to fair trial in the period of 1997-2008, assessing such aspects as independence of courts in general and judges in particular, the judgments of the ECHR in respect of fair trial violations in the country as well as the response of Ukrainian legal system to such judgments. The author proposes his own assessment grid and provides his own analysis based on the comprehensive statistical data from Ukrainian High Court, Ministry of Justice covering such issues as the number of judgments delivered with delays, non enforced court decisions, the impact of increasing of salary of judges on the level of corruption in the country etc.