The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Lytvyn hopes for further fruitful cooperation between Ukraine and OSCE
Press Service
08 October 2012, 19:21
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Lytvyn hopes for further fruitful cooperation between Ukraine and OSCE.
“We attach great importance to cooperation with OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly, especially now, considering the pre-election period, and future presidency of Ukraine in OSCE next year,” noted V. Lytvyn during the meeting with OSCE PA President Riccardo Migliori on Monday.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada stressed that the great number of observers from parliamentary organizations is a positive aspect. “Observers are not interested in persons and parties, they estimate the course of elections,” said V. Lytvyn. “Observers are interested in how the elections conform to the national legislation and generally accepted rules.”
He noted thereat that observers’ work is “a disciplinary factor for nominees from both ruling and oppositional parties.”
In his turn, OSCE PA President expressed hopes that the work of the Mission would promote further development of efficient cooperation between Ukraine and OSCE. R. Migliori stated that there are great expectations from Ukraine’s presidency in OSCE in 2013 considering its position and role in solving “frozen conflicts.” He also gave high appreciation to the work of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation to the Assembly.
“We have powers and authority to solve problems that exist both in Ukraine and in Europe,” said R. Migliori.
V. Lytvyn informed also about the legislative work of the Parliament aimed at performance of Ukraine’s obligations before the Council of Europe. In particular, the new Code of Criminal Procedure is coming into force in November; it is aimed at humanization of punishments in general. A law regulating the activity of advocacy structures was adopted. According to him, the Parliament is also working on bringing the functions of the prosecution into conformance with the European standards.