First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Heraschenko notes that fulfillment of security and humanitarian components of the Minsk accords will become the basis for the shift to consideration of political issues.
She said this at the first working session of the IV meeting of the Ukraine-EU Parliamentary Association Committee.
Heraschenko thanked European Parliament members, who expressed willingness to visit some population centers in the east of Ukraine despite all the warnings and restrictions of political groups and factions of the European Parliament.
The attendees of the working session paid particular attention to the issue of unacceptability of carrying out elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
"The elections can take place there only if stable peace is guaranteed in the east," Heraschenko said.
Iryna Heraschenko also called the situation in the east of Ukraine tensed and accused the militants of permanent violation of the ceasefire regime.
According to Mrs. Heraschenko, there are a total of 38,000 militants staying in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
She added that the restoration of the borders between Ukraine and Russia should also be of particular priority.
She informed that a total of 110 Ukrainian citizens are still held hostage on the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Iryna Heraschenko informed her colleagues about cases of blocking work of international humanitarian missions.
The participants in the meeting also discussed the problems in payment of social and pension allowances to internally displaced persons. Iryna Heraschenko said that a total of 505,800 IDPs currently receive pension coverage.
Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee Andrej Plenkovic noted enhancement of interparliamentary cooperation with Ukraine and assured of the European Union's further support for Ukraine.