German Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig has arrived in Kyiv on Friday, June 26, for a one-day visit on the eve of Constitution Day of Ukraine.
"Today I arrived in Kyiv for a one-day visit. This is my first visit to Ukraine since my appointment to the post of Federal Minister of Justice over a year ago. At the same time, this visit is also a return for me," Hubig said upon arriving in Ukraine’s capital by train in the morning, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reports.
During today’s visit to Kyiv, the central role will be played primarily by issues of the rule of law and cooperation in the judicial sphere. Hubig will participate in a conference dedicated to the anniversary of the Constitution. The minister also announced the signing of a working program regarding cooperation in the legal field between Ukraine and Germany for the coming years.
"This working program also concerns another major project: Ukraine’s accession to the European Union… It is clear: accession negotiations will require great effort. But it is also clear that all parties will conduct these negotiations in a spirit of trust, respect, and constructive confidence. After all, one thing is undeniable: Ukraine is part of the European family – it belongs to Europe," she emphasized.
The minister noted that more than ten years ago, in 2014 and 2015, she had already visited Kyiv as part of official trips while serving as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
"It is clear that my trip today takes place under different circumstances than my last visit. Today I am visiting a country at war. I am visiting Ukraine, whose territory is completely under bombardment and shelling. And I am visiting a country that defends the freedom of Europe – from Russia, which wants to move borders by force. From Russia, for whom peace and self-determination mean nothing. This visit, this return under different circumstances, moves me personally very much," Hubig said.
As the minister reported, today’s visit to Kyiv "is connected with a major event": the day after tomorrow, on Sunday, the Constitution of Ukraine celebrates its 30th anniversary.
"On June 28, 1996, the Ukrainian parliament adopted the Constitution. This constitutional moment became a historic milestone for Ukraine. After all, the Constitution of Ukraine embodies an important aspiration. It reflects Ukraine’s desire to be a state ruled by law. It embodies the desire to be part of Europe, where the power of law is decisive, not the law of the stronger. It is a symbol of Ukraine’s orientation toward the West. All this makes the upcoming anniversary of the Constitution significant. And that is exactly why I set out for Kyiv," Hubig explained.
According to her, with this visit she wants to personally pay tribute to the anniversary of the Constitution of Ukraine and emphasize that Germany continues to stand firmly by Ukraine’s side.
"We will support Ukraine in defending its freedom outwardly – in its repelling of the Russian invasion – in achieving a just peace. And we will also support Ukraine in strengthening the rule of law within the country – we will help it implement the principles of the Ukrainian Constitution: guarantees of human rights, the rule of law, the separation of powers," the federal minister said.
Photo © Photothek/ Felix Zahn
