Ukraine: MEPs call for implementation of reforms
May 28, 2013.
Key judicial and rule-of-law reforms in Ukraine must not only be adopted but carried out ahead of the November Eastern Partnership Summit, foreign affairs MEPs told the Ukrainian foreign minister, Leonid Kozhara, on Monday. The decision on signing the association agreement with Ukraine is to be taken at the summit.
"Ukraine is on the right track" in implementing its reform agenda agreed at the last EU-Ukraine summit, Mr Kozhara told MEPs, pointing to initiatives to strengthen the independence of the judiciary and reform criminal procedures, the role of the prosecutor and the electoral process.
He stressed that the reforms "would take time" as a change of mindset on the part of investigators, prosecutors and other actors was needed. MEPs underlined the need to end the practice of the selective justice, step up coordination over EU issues at parliamentary level and ensure an effective change of approach towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
Monday's meeting with Mr Kozhara followed a hearing on the recent political developments in Ukraine with Lesya Orobets and Rostyslav Pavlenko, representing two major opposition parties, Batkivschyna and UDAR, and with experts from the Venice Commission and the Danish Helsinki Committee, held on 23 May 2013.
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