Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-10-12-Speech-3-219-000"
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"en.20111012.17.3-219-000"2
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"Madam President, Baroness Ashton, since we are debating Ukraine after having talked about the Arab Spring, I should like to make a preliminary comment. The European Union has a lot to work on in its relationship with the countries south of the Mediterranean. For far too long, dictators have been respected by us and given our unconditional cooperation. However, we should assess what we are currently doing in respect of Ukraine in the light of this responsibility and the negative experience that Arab peoples have had of us.
I am emphatically in favour of this association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine – and I say that on behalf of my group. This agreement could really serve to put our social and economic relations on a more stable footing and improve the lives of the people of Ukraine. I am firmly convinced that the people of Ukraine have really fought for and deserve this association agreement through their commitment to democratic development. It is extremely regrettable that the case of Yulia Tymoshenko is now putting pressure on relations between the European Union and Ukraine – which had, in fact, improved. However, that is the way it has to be, for the reasons agreed on by all the previous speakers.
I would like to go beyond this, however, and point out that it is not just Ms Tymoshenko who faces court proceedings, but also some of the members of her former government. I would like to point out that before these proceedings were initiated, hundreds of judges and public prosecutors in Ukraine were replaced. That is not what I understand by democratic reform of the judiciary.
I should like to point out that Ukraine still does not have a truly good and independent media sector, and that it is very difficult to guarantee diversity of opinion.
It is because of all this that we have to take a tough line now. Yes, we will continue to negotiate, but we will also make it clear that our signing of the agreement – the European Union’s approval of the association agreement – in fact depends on democratic developments in Ukraine.
Ms Tymoshenko belongs to the family of Christian democratic parties in Europe. With his Party of Regions, President Yanukovych has observer status among the social democrats in Europe. I feel that both party families have a great responsibility to now ensure that relations between government and opposition forces are based on democratic principles. As far as I am concerned, bringing this about is very important."@en1
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