17/04/2013 Monitoring
Strasbourg, 17.04.2013 – Mailis Reps (Estonia, ALDE) and Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin (Sweden, EPP/CD), the co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Ukraine by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), have welcomed the continuing efforts displayed by the Ukrainian authorities to reform the judiciary but stressed that implementation of newly-adopted laws and strategies is now essential to ensure an independent and impartial judiciary that fully respects the principles of the Rule of Law.
Speaking at the end of a three-day visit to Kyiv (14-16 April 2013), the co-rapporteurs stressed that the parliament should be the primary forum for political debate and deliberation between the different political forces in the country. They therefore welcomed the news that the opposition has decided to return to the parliament. “This is especially important in the context of constitutional reform, which is needed to satisfactorily address a number of crucial outstanding commitments with regard to the judiciary,” they said. “It is important that the reform of the constitution is based on a consensus between political forces in the country that is as wide as possible. This is essential for the democratic legitimacy of the constitution.” They added that they expected all parties to overcome differences and narrow interests and to genuinely seek consensus on this reform, which is crucial for Ukraine's democratic development and further European integration.
The co-rapporteurs welcomed the release of Yuriy Lutsenko following a Presidential pardon. “This is an important step forward in resolving a situation that has regrettably dominated relations with the European institutions, including the Parliamentary Assembly, and which has hampered Ukraine's further European integration,” they said. “We hope that his release will now soon be followed by further steps to satisfactorily resolve the issue of imprisoned former government officials. This, as well as addressing the deficiencies in the judicial system noted in Assembly Resolution 1862, is crucial if the country is to meet its obligations to the Council of Europe, as well as for the completion of the Association Agreement with the EU, which we wholeheartedly support, the co-rapporteurs said.