PACE co-rapporteurs recommend Rada to press ahead with constitutional changes on decentralization

Co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Ukraine by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Jordi Xucla (Spain, ALDE) and Axel Fischer (Germany, EPP/CD), ending a visit to Ukraine have urged the country's parliamentarians to press ahead with constitutional changes on decentralization.

"These constitutional amendments are often referred to in the context of the Minsk process, but they go far beyond that. They contain key provisions that should bring the government closer to the people and ensure the political stability and unity of the country, irrespective of Minsk," they said, speaking at the end of a three-day visit to Kyiv (February 1-3, 2016).

The co-rapporteurs said that "the decentralization will equip the country better to deal with the ongoing aggression in eastern Ukraine."

"What's more, any delay in adoption of these amendments could be misconstrued as Ukraine lagging behind on its commitments under the Minsk agreements," they said.

The co-rapporteurs also welcomed the adoption at first reading of the constitutional amendments regarding the judiciary, but cautioned that some of the transitional provisions may not be in line with recommendations of the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe's group of independent legal experts.

The co-rapporteurs said they intended to visit the country again in the spring.

Xucla and Fischer visited Ukraine on February 1-3.