SPECIAL MEETING OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE DEDICATED TO THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF ADOPTION OF THE CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS OF 1950 WAS HELD IN THE VERKHOVNA RADA ON OCTOBER 22
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, announced that Mykola Azarov, Prime Minister of Ukraine, the government members, the Head and the judges of the Constitutional Court, the Head of the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine, the Head of the Higher Specialized Court of Ukraine to consider civil and criminal cases, the Head of the High Council of Justice, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, and the Ombudsperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine attended the special meeting. Representatives of the international organizations, human rights organizations of Ukraine, churches and religious organizations, diplomatic corps, scientific and higher education institutions, all-Ukrainian non-governmental organizations of the national minorities also attended the meeting.
V.Lytvyn declared open the Special meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine dedicated to the 60th anniversary of adoption of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1950.
The participants of the meeting congratulated Borys Oliinyk, prominent Ukrainian poet, political and public figure, on the 75th anniversary of birth.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine announced that Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine, sent a video address to the participants of the Special meeting.
The Head of State characterized the Special meeting as ‘symbolic´, as it was held under the conditions of a comprehensive reforming of all the branches, including the human rights protection system.
In his address, the President of Ukraine raised several questions, among them the reasons for Ukraine to fight for implementation of fundamental principles of the Convention, if it had been adopted as long as 60 years ago.
V.Yanukovych stated that action has been taken to support human rights and freedoms in Ukraine, especially the right to appeal against the court resolutions in the European Court of Human Rights.
V.Yanukovych believes that Ukraine has the possibilities to enhance observance of standards set by the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. "Ukraine will get rid of the status of the country that violates fundamental human rights," the President of Ukraine declared.
Addressing the attendants of the special meeting, Mykola Azarov, Prime Minister of Ukraine, stressed that observance and protection of human rights was a strict priority for the Government. "Via the governmental authorized representative in the European Court of Human Rights, the Ministry of Justice has a standing representation in the European Court of Human Rights and reports on the implementation of its resolutions," the Prime Minister stated.
According to M.Azarov, the Government guarantees openness and transparency of activity of the executive authority bodies, public participation in the formation and implementation of the governmental policy, free and unbiased media coverage of the activity of the authorities.
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, delivered a speech. He declared, "It is hard or even impossible to find the clauses of the Convention or its Protocols that were unknown to the Ukrainian people who resided in our state before its formation."
V.Lytvyn reminded of the Declaration adopted at the High Level Interlaken Conference on February 18-19, 2010 organized under the Swiss chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. V.Lytvyn reminded that Ukraine should report on the fulfillment of the Declaration to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe by the end of 2011. "Half of the allocated period has already passed, while abundance of work still remains. It seems that our own opinion of this situation and understanding of responsibility for the fulfillment of international commitments (including political ones) are of priority," he admitted. The Head of the Parliament stated that Ukraine would assume chairmanship in the Committee in May 2011. "Our European colleagues will apparently fail to understand how the performer of this leading and respected role so poorly implements this Declaration," V.Lytvyn claimed. "Thus, I call on the Cabinet of Ministers and The Verkhovna Rada with a request to take immediate action to fulfill Ukraine´s obligations before the Council of Europe and terminate the monitoring. It is a strange situation that the country chairing the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is being monitored itself."
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine declared that the pre-history of the 60th anniversary celebrated that day proved that the Convention was not an ordinary international legal act, but a reliable guide for civilization progress via democracy, which is the best model of development.
Oleksandr Lavrynovych, Minister of Justice of Ukraine, and Yurii Zaitsev, Governmental Commissioner on European Court of Human Rights, delivered their speeches.
Nina Karpachova, Ombudsperson in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, declared that the event that took place on 4 November 1950 (Italy) commenced the development of a new European system of human rights and freedoms protection that has become a foundation for the national legal system in all European countries.
N, Karpachova delivered a Special Report of the Ombudsperson in Ukraine that contained a complex analysis of the Ukrainian obligations assumed on entering the Council of Europe, and those indicated in the European Conventions ratified by our state. The Special Report of the Ombudsperson covers the activity of the Ombudsperson in Ukraine as to the facilitation of incorporation of legal practice of European standards in Ukrainian legislation, and analyzes the practice of the European Court in Ukraine.
N. Karpachova reported on the work of the Ombudsperson in Ukraine as to the abolition of the death penalty, prevention of excruciation, compliance of the right on judicial defence and non-fulfillment of judgments, provision of mass media and information freedom in Ukraine, pluralism of thoughts, etc.
Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Intentional Relations Oleh Zarubinskii deems it a good sign for the Ukrainian society that the authorities resolved to celebrate the anniversary of European Convention on Human Rights on the national level. O. Zarubinskii declared that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was constantly working to develop and implement the principles of the Convention and other fundamental international agreements on human rights protection.
The Chairman of the Committee stated the necessity to strengthen the parliamentary control over the human rights abidence.
V. Lytvyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine declared that "The Convention on Human Rights is the ever-lasting document that would be improved from time to time."
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expressed his gratitude to all the participants and adjourned the Special meeting.