Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-11-24-Speech-3-449"
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"en.20101124.25.3-449"2
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"Mr President, I have great pleasure this evening in debating the situation in Ukraine on behalf of Cathy Ashton, High Representative and Vice-President, who regrets her absence here today.
In recent years, the level of political freedom has been very high in Ukraine, with election after election being recognised by credible bodies as conforming to international standards. It is therefore regrettable to note that the latest municipal elections held on 31 October were criticised by most observers. Although those criticisms concerned only technical and procedural aspects, it was still a step backwards.
Democratic values and principles along with human rights are fundamental principles for EU Member States. They are principles on which there can be no compromise, all the more so as we are talking here about a key partner.
Shared values for a common future: this is the challenge of the future association between Ukraine and the EU. As we did at the summit last Monday and for as long as problems persist, we must continue to send a very clear message regarding respect for fundamental values.
Today marks an important day for Ukraine with its OSCE Chairmanship for 2013 having been declared this morning. It is a privilege, but also a responsibility and it will give Ukraine the opportunity to live up to expectations, which are certainly high.
I want to dwell now on our bilateral relations, marked last Monday by a summit at the Château Val Duchesse in Brussels, attended by President Yanukovych, as well as by Presidents Van Rompuy and Barroso. Cathy Ashton took part in the discussion on international issues. I was also there to take stock of the prospects for establishing, in the near future, a deep and comprehensive free trade area with a high level of ambition. Our discussions were sincere, and I am confident that the summit has put a relationship that deserves to be more extensive and more tangible on the right track.
The two most important outcomes of the summit are the adoption of the action plan on the free movement of persons and the signing of the protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement enabling Ukraine to take part in EU programmes.
Other items on the agenda were the internal situation in Ukraine, current negotiations on the future Association Agreement and the reform process. Ukraine is part of our neighbourhood. We are therefore trying to embrace its proximity, and Ukraine’s neighbourhood is not standing still, either, if you think about the NATO summit this weekend and today’s conclusion of bilateral negotiations in Brussels, where I was just a few hours ago, enabling the EU to support Russia’s accession to the WTO.
Let us get back to the summit. The current government has undertaken a number of important economic reforms, which we have welcomed. Firstly, there is the public procurement law, which should play an important role in the fight against corruption. Agreements have been entered into with the IMF and important reforms have been introduced in the key energy sector. The Ukrainian Government has been fairly successful in stabilising the situation in the country. This is obviously very important.
Nevertheless, we are concerned by continued reports of a corrosion of fundamental freedoms and democratic principles in Ukraine. Of particular concern are grievances voiced regarding freedom of the media and freedom of assembly and of association. Furthermore, as you know, the Ukrainian Constitutional Court has recently overturned the 2004 constitution, which was adopted during the Orange Revolution. So it is the 1996 constitution, which gives increased power to the President, which once again applies. This very controversial decision is evidence that an open and participative constitutional reform process is needed in Ukraine.
This process should be aimed at establishing a sustainable system of checks and balances in line with European standards. This subject was also raised in your resolution in February.
Another very recent decision taken by the Constitutional Court, which is open to various interpretations, is the duration of the current parliament’s mandate. Whereas the 1996 constitution, which is currently in force, provides for a four-year mandate, the Court has ruled that the current parliament’s powers will only expire after five years, as it was elected during the period covered by the 2004 constitution. This decision conveys the ‘à la carte’ approach which is increasingly being adopted by the current administration. Once again, Ukraine sorely needs an open and participative constitutional reform process, not decisions made according to circumstances."@en1
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