Raad van Europa maant Oekraïense leiders om standvastigheid bij doorvoeren structurele hervormingen (en)

Strasbourg, 05.10.2005 - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today welcomed the "positive evolution" in Ukraine under President Yushchenko and the first achievements of the new authorities, but recognised that they have encountered numerous difficulties in the first nine post-revolution months, originating from the years of rule of the previous regime as well as internal conflicts within the new administration. The Assembly urged the Ukrainian authorities to carry on with the reform process and not to let political competition jeopardise the country's development.

Adopting a monitoring report during its plenary session in Strasbourg - the sixth report on Ukraine since it joined the Council of Europe in 1995 and the first to assess developments since the Orange Revolution - the Assembly urged the country's new leaders to "preserve their steadfast resolve" in carrying out the crucial reforms which Ukraine badly needs. Priorities remain the fight against corruption, strengthening the rule of law and the organisation of free and fair elections in March 2006, the parliamentarians said.

While welcoming the "broad reform agenda" of the new authorities, PACE emphasised that neither the post-revolutionary situation nor the up-coming elections should be an alibi for hasty decisions, infighting and neglect for democratic and human rights standards. It deeply regretted the Constitutional amendments of December 2004 which, while they halted the political turmoil, were incompatible with the rule of law and should be revised.

Among other things, the Assembly called on the Ukrainian authorities to:

bring to justice the masterminds behind the 2004 election fraud

adopt laws on the functioning of the branches of power, and guarantee the conditions for the functioning of the parliamentary opposition

transform state broadcasters into public service channels

continue reform of the judiciary and reform of the public prosecutor's office in line with Council of Europe recommendations

bring to justice those who ordered, organised and executed the Gongadze murder and investigate other high-profile cases allegedly documented on the Melnychenko tapes

The Assembly decided to continue monitoring Ukraine and to make a further assessment of progress after the March 2006 parliamentary and local elections.

Contact:

Communication Unit of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly

Tel. +33 3 88 41 31 93 Fax +33 3 90 21 41 34; e-mail: pace.com@coe.int