Iryna Herashchenko: “We expect, that the Russian military aggression in the Donbas, and violations of the human rights in the Crimea, will be the main subjects of discussion at the regular PACE session”.
“We expect, that the Russian military aggression in the Donbas, and violations of the human rights in the Crimea, will be the main subjects of discussion at the next PACE session,” stated the First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Herashchenko at a meeting with the delegation from Latvia led by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr Andrejs Pildegovics.
Iryna Herashchenko informed Andrejs Pildegovics of the current security and humanitarian situation in the Donbas. He was notified that during four years of the aggression in the east of Ukraine, there had been more than ten thousand people killed in shelling by the SRDLO’s militants; and among those killed there had been 2383 Ukrainian servicemen.
I.Herashchenko mentioned that the “spring truce”, which had been announced on March 5, 2018, decreased indeed the rate of shelling, but the SRDLO’s representatives were dogged at breaking the ceasefire regime daily.
As a representative of the TCG’s humanitarian sub-group Iryna Herashchenko stressed that through heavy shelling in the Donbas, there was a threat of environmental and man-made disaster. In the east of Ukraine, there are hundreds of flooded mines. Some of the most important facilities are being shelled every day.
The politician stressed that the main issue in the Donbas still remained removal of mines. In view of repeated breaking the safety block of the Minsk agreements, I. Herashchenko stressed there was an acute need in deploying a UN peacekeeping mission throughout the Donbas.
The representative of the TCG’s humanitarian subgroup Iryna Herashchenko also said, that the release of hostages remained a priority issue in Minsk. Thanks to representatives of the subgroup, the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, the UA Ombudsman’s Office and the Security Service of Ukraine they managed to release seventy-six Ukrainians during the last four years.
The First Vice-Speaker thanked the Latvian delegation for the support of the Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“At the regular PACE session, we do expect that the military aggression of the Russian Feredation in the Donbass, as well as the numerous violations of the human rights in the occupied Crimea, be there the main subjects of the discussion,” underscored I.Herashchenko.
During the meeting, the situation with implementation of reforms in Ukraine was also discussed. According to I.Herashchenko, at the current session the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will continue to consider bills in the field of national security and defense, reform of the diplomatic services of Ukraine, anti-corruption, education reform, energy sector and other slated by the roadmap of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU.
In turn, Andrejs Pildegovics informed that Latvia remained a reliable partner of Ukraine and was ready to provide comprehensive assistance and support, including at the international arena. The secretary supported the new law of Ukraine "On Education", and noted that the Republic of Latvia had introduced a similar system and “is now ready to share experience in these matters”.