First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on European Integration, the Authorized Representative of the President of Ukraine on peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts Iryna Herashchenko met with delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, headed by the President of the Congress Herwig van Staa
18 July 2014, 09:00
Iryna Herashchenko noted that she deems it necessary to establish a monitoring mission to study the situation with adherence to human rights in Crimea. The politician believes that this could be the PACE mission, or a joint special delegation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.
According to I.Herashchenko, this particularly pertains to the adherence of rights of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians. “Daily we receive information regarding violation of their rights on the part of occupational Russian authority. Leaders of Crimean Tatars are not allowed to the Crimean territory. Ukrainians are under pressure,” she said.
I.Herashchenko informed about recent developments in the eastern Ukraine. “Ukraine has irrefutable evidence that Russia that provides militants with weapons and financial assistance,” said the people’s deputy.
The people’s deputy stressed that the Ukrainian authority does its best to stabilize the situation. She informed her European colleagues about the peaceful plan of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. I.Herashchenko noted that the Ukrainian cities, liberated from terrorists and mercenaries, are returning to peaceful life.
On their part, representatives of the Congress showed interest in the issue of decentralization of authority in Ukraine; carrying out reforms in the sphere of economy and in the constitutional reform. They supported the standing of the President of Ukraine regarding the necessity to decentralize authority in order to provide regions with real governmental powers.