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Cox-Kwaśniewski monitoring mission to Ukraine extended

19.04.2013   
On Thursday the European Parliament ratified visa liberalization measures for Ukrainians and heard the findings of the Cox-Kwaśniewski mission. Hanne Severinsen, however, warns that the mission must not be used as a cover for the Ukrainian regime

On Thursday the Conference of Presidents received the second report of the European Parliament monitoring mission to Ukraine formed by Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament, and Aleksander Kwaśniewski, former President of the Republic of Poland.  

Following the meeting, Martin Schultz, European Parliament President that all political groups had called the mission to Ukraine a success, extended it and invited it to report again at the end of September.

Not all are so enthusiastic.  Hanne Severinsen, former Co-Rapporteur for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Ukraine believes that the Cox-Kwaśniewski mission runs the risk of being used as a cover for the Yanukovych-regime.  She told Ukrainian Week:

The limitation of Pat Cox and Aleksander Kwasniewski mission is their “closed door” policy, Hanne Severinsen, PACE co-Rapporteur in 1995-2008, told The Ukrainian Week.

“The Cox- Kwasniewski mission has had their limitation in their “closed door” policy. The lack of public comments from their findings, has unfortunately given the Ukrainian authorities too much room for explaining their mission only from their side, ” Severinsen noted.

“No doubt they have had impact in improving the conditions for the political prisoners in Ukraine, especially the pardon of Lutsenko and Filipchuk. In that sense it has seemingly being a useful tool allowing mechanism for direct negotiation with the Yanukovych-regime which would not be possible for an EU official. Thereby act behind the scene, ” she underlined.

“But if they continue, it would be better if they give up the very diplomatic way they act, speaking up and give room for political considerations, helping the international community to evaluate the selective justice in Ukraine and how to react up to the Vilnius Summit. Otherwise they run the risk to be used as a cover for the Yanukovych-regime, who only gives promises after promises they don’t intend to fulfill, ” Severinsen claimed

The second report can be downloaded here

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