Authoritarian actions of Ukrainian authorities may seriously undermine Ukraine's European aspirations - EPP Presidency's declaration
The presidency of the European People's Party passed on June 23 a declaration on Ukraine. The document contains strong criticism of the Ukrainian authorities and a warning against the continued encroachment on the rule of law in the country.
The presidency is an executive authority of the EPP, which consists of EPP President Wilfried Martens, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, and ten vice presidents - prime ministers of the countries, whose political parties are members of the EPP.
"We express our deepest concern by the serious deterioration of the situation in Ukraine regarding the continuous abuse of criminal justice system for political purpose, systemic encroachment on the rule of law through politically motivated prosecutions of the former government members, most notably leader of the opposition, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, civil society activists and media," the declaration reads.
According to the document, despite numerous public statements of the EPP President and its Political Assembly, and resolutions of the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe President Yanukovych and Ukrainian authorities continue to ignore them and try pay a lip service promising to remedy the situation, but in reality, doing everything to escalate it in a wrong and dangerous direction.
The EPP recalled that last week leader of opposition Yulia Tymoshenko was not allowed to visit two regions of Ukraine and to attend the PACE session in Strasbourg, the EPP Summit and meeting with the President of European Parliament in Brussels.
"Such actions of Ukrainian authorities are authoritarian by their nature, as they not based on the rule of law and democratic principles. They violate fundamental European values and contradict Ukraine's international obligations and commitments. If unchecked, these negative developments will further damage Ukraine's international image and could seriously undermine Ukraine's European aspirations," the declaration reads.
The EPP reiterated its call on Ukrainian authorities to stop all politically motivated prosecutions and selective use of criminal justice system against opposition.
"We demand Ukrainian authorities to lift immediately a travel ban - domestic and international - imposed on the leader of opposition Yulia Tymoshenko and to cancel other disproportional measures, including pre-trial detention applied in cases of Mr. Lutsenko, former Interior Minister and Mr. Ivaschenko, former Acting Minister of Defense," the EPP presidency said.
"We would like to remind President Yanukovych of his personal responsibility regarding respect of rule law, democracy and protection of human rights in Ukraine," the document reads.