Agro Perspectiva

Ukrainian President held a meeting with PACE delegation

16.01.2015 09:14 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — As of yesterday, the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko held a meeting with PACE President Anne Brasseur and the PACE delegation, which is on a working visit to Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko Press Office reports. As to the report, Petro Poroshenko expressed gratitude to the PACE delegation for its solidarity with Ukraine and the visit to our country in a very difficult time of sharp escalation in the Donbas and worsening of the humanitarian situation. Reportedly, within the meeting, the Ukrainian President underlined the necessity of unity of the entire Europe in its struggle against terrorism and reminded of the tragedy that had happened a few days ago near Volnovakha, when 13 civilians had died and 15 had been wounded as a result of the artillery shelling of the Ukrainian checkpoint by terrorists. The President emphasized that it was an act of terrorism, because militants had shelled the checkpoint through which civilians were constantly moving. As to the report, on behalf of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Council of Europe, Anne Brasseur expressed condolences to the people of Ukraine over the tragedy. Reportedly, Poroshenko emphasized the necessity of intensifying the efforts of the PACE to liberate Ukrainian hostages seized by terrorists. To date, over 600 Ukrainian citizens are in captivity, despite clear agreements reached in Minsk. As to the report, the Ukrainian President expressed particular concern over the situation with Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko. «We have appointed her member of the delegation to the PACE and it would be natural for the Parliamentary Assembly to make all the necessary decisions and liberate the deputy, the pilot, who defended her own country,» the Head of State noted. «I call on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to make every effort necessary for the liberation of the member of the Ukrainian delegation to the PACE,» the President emphasized. Reportedly, the attendees of the meeting agreed that the Minsk agreements must be unequivocally and immediately fulfilled, for they had been recognized by all the parties to the conflict and were the only way of peaceful settlement. As to the report, the interlocutors also discussed the introduction of reforms and the interaction with the Parliamentary Assembly and other institutions of the Council of Europe. The Ukrainian President told about the initiation of anti-corruption policy, judicial reform and decentralization. At the same time, he underlined the importance of cooperation with the Venice Commission in the issues of constitutional changes, electoral law and other reforms that are part of the democratic development of the country.