Ukraine

The European Parliament today adopted a resolution on the situation in the Ukraine, highlighting the problems with human rights and political repression. Commenting on the outcome, Greens/EFA co-president Rebecca Harms said:

"The EP has today strongly criticised Ukrainian president Yanukovich and his government. The EU cannot support a regime that is leading its country away from freedom and democracy and towards isolation.

"The coming European football championships should be used by all those involved to send a clear message to the Yanukovich regime against political repression and the treatment of politically held prisoners like Yulia Tymoshenko and other opposition politicians. Hosting the tournament in the Ukraine was supposed to bring the country closer to Europe and to recognise its efforts towards democratic transformation. UEFA chief Michel Platini should finally take a clear stance and speak out against political repression, rather than sniping at concerned sportspeople who do so."

Greens foreign affairs spokesperson Werner Schulz added:

"The opposition politicians who were responsible for bringing the European championships to the Ukraine will be languishing behind bars, while the current regime will be sitting in the stands and basking in the glow of the tournament.

"It is high time to show this regime the red card for its persistent abuse of human rights and political repression. The EU needs to do far more to counter the emergence of a new dictatorship in its eastern neighbourhood. The Association Agreement cannot be signed so long as there are political prisoners. There will be no free elections while key opposition politicians sit in jail."