The Chairman of the Committee on National Security and Defence Volodymyr Lytvyn met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine Christof Weil

Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat
20 March 2013, 16:51

 
At the beginning of the meeting Volodymyr Lytvyn reminded that inter-parliamentary relations between Ukraine and Germany have good basis for further successful development. “Today the Parliaments of the world are experiencing extremely responsible moment. Economy is shrinking. There is crisis in all countries. In such circumstances, there is a temptation to delegate authority to one or several persons, to shuffle off the responsibility for solving urgent problems on them. There is a threat that the Parliaments could relegate to the background. Meanwhile, I see that the challenges that arose before Europe and each country require serious consideration, serious work. And the role of parliaments in such situation should increase,” Volodymyr Lytvyn noted.  

 

The Chairman of the Committee noted the importance of deepening contacts at the level of political factions and committees. V.Lytvyn expressed his interest in setting up such contacts and cooperation between the respective committees of both countries. “The issues of security will play key role under current conditions,” he stressed.

 

The issue of strengthening parliamentary control was also discussed during the meeting. V.Lytvyn informed that the visiting session of the Committee shall take place in the Security Service of Ukraine today. “It is important for us to have constant dialogue with law enforcement structures that are under jurisdiction of the Committee on National Security and Defense, to feel the mood and needs in order to fully secure them at the legislative level. But not less important task for us is control.  It is natural that such services and structures require public control,” the Chairman of the Committee stated.   

 

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary noted that this year is of great importance both to Ukraine and the Parliament. A number of laws required for signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in November this year, must be signed. “The European Union expects that all the necessary moves on the part of both executive and legislative power of Ukraine shall be taken,” he noted.

 

V.Lytvyn expressed hope that the Association Agreement will be signed in November this year.

 

Participants of the meeting stood for continuing the dialogue and further development of relations at these levels between the parliaments of Ukraine and the Federal Republic of Germany.