Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-01-13-Speech-4-014"

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"en.20050113.3.4-014"2
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"Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to have been able to act as an observer at the re-run presidential elections in Ukraine. I agree with Commissioner Potočnik that, essentially, everything proceeded without bloodshed, and that the elections were run according to European standards in organisational and technical terms, although in no way without certain points worthy of comment. However, my visit to Ukraine for the re-run presidential elections confirmed my opinion that the reality of life is dramatically different from the media portrayal. I regret to have to say that even Euronews reports have been surprisingly biased towards the orange faction. I do not understand why we have to manufacture antagonists artificially, and why we are exporting mass misunderstandings from Europe to the east. I believe, however, that our present task is not to preach to Ukraine, or Russia, or the media, but to work towards the ideals of understanding in Europe. I should therefore like to recommend that we give our support to the working groups, which are starting their analysis of the terms and conditions for the accession of Ukraine to the European Union. This is not just a matter of assisting Ukraine and the Union with mutual links; we must make a contribution to stabilising the political situation in Ukraine by helping to keep one of the new president’s pre-election promises. We can also help to achieve a goal which was never at odds with the wishes of the blue faction, but was just misrepresented by politicians and in the media. Secondly, I recommend that we open discussions on a code of democratic elections. It is essential not only to establish unified principles, which must be observed so that elections can be recognised as democratic, but it must also be stated to what extent we are willing to tolerate divergences between real life and our ideals. My third recommendation is to establish tolerance criteria for foreign interference in the process of democracy. It is undeniably true that every state has a legitimate right to defend its own interests, so that every country has a government which is well disposed towards it. But can we, in such a situation, talk of the legitimacy of the elected government? We must find answers to these questions. I thank you."@en1

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