MEP Siwiec: Resolution on Ukraine could be better

Kyiv, November 26 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The European Parliament's resolution on Ukraine could be better, a member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Marek Siwiec, has said.

"I voted for this resolution, but I don't like it very much," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

Siwiec said that this was a compromise document that has "a lot of simplifications.

In particular, he said that in paragraph No. 7 of the resolution the European Parliament expressed concern at recent developments in Ukraine that could undermine media freedom and pluralism and called on the authorities to take all necessary measures to protect these essential aspects of a democratic society.

"This is a very difficult inquiry. And in the same paragraph, as a result of compromise, we read about certain [television] channels, frequencies, and so on. These are incompatible things – a very bad start and more specific things later," Siwiec said.

He said that his party proposed including in the text of the resolution the call for parties not to block the work of the Ukrainian parliament.

"As you know, Ukraine has a tradition of blocking the parliament's work... And we want to say openly: do not block the parliament!" the MEP said.

He noted that most MEPs had refused to include this phrase in the resolution.

As reported, the European Parliament approved a resolution on Ukraine on Thursday, November 25. The document notes that Ukraine may apply for EU membership.

The resolution also stresses the need to improve the country's electoral framework and calls on the Ukrainian authorities to fully investigate all reports of infringements of rights and freedoms, to remedy any violations identified and to investigate the role of the Security Service of Ukraine with regard to interference in the democratic process.