Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-10-27-Speech-3-141"
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"en.20041027.9.3-141"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, caught as it is between two newsworthy events – the parliamentary elections in Belarus and the US presidential election – the election in Ukraine is nevertheless no less important for Europe and the whole world, although this neighbouring country is more democratic than Belarus, of course, and less influential than the United States of America.
Thanks to the members of the European Parliament from the new Member States, and their knowledge and experience of these questions, issues connected with Ukraine have been given special attention even in these first few months of Parliament’s work, emphasising the importance of this new European neighbour state as a strategic partner. In the last few years, a great and powerful democratic opposition has formed in Ukraine, but we can see negative tendencies in the field of media freedom and exploitation of the whole administrative machinery in the hands of the ruling elite. These tendencies pose a threat to the process of democratisation and the fairness of the presidential election.
The election law is legally correct, but compliance with it is compulsory only for the opposition. What is most alarming, however, is the attitude of the people themselves: everyone knows what is going on, but there are so many violations that society has become accustomed to them, and there are only a few people who think that such a way of doing things is unlawful. What is more, the population is being brainwashed with advertising financed by the oligarchs’ millions. The election law does indeed provide for a ceiling on campaign expenditure, but there is no real control of candidates’ funding and political party finances.
The result of this election must be clearly and effectively reflected in the decisions of the European Union, not merely of censure or support, but also with respect to concrete strategic and financial issues. Currently an action plan is being developed between the European Union and Ukraine within the framework of our new neighbouring country policy. As a member of the European Parliament, I am in favour of refining the content of the document and signing it only once the election is over, once it is perfectly clear whether the Ukrainian presidential election has been democratic and whether the new government is being formed by democratic methods.
We all need neighbours who are democratic and free of corruption, so that entrepreneurs can earn greater profits in a freely competitive environment, and our people can sleep more soundly, in the knowledge that Ukraine has not put on the snarling bearskin of its big Russian neighbour."@en1
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