Brussels, 25/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) has welcomed the adoption by the EU-Ukraine summit of an action plan that should lead to abolition of the visa requirement (see EUROPE 10261) but insists that “consolidation of the rule of law and respect for fundamental freedoms will be crucial in order to meet the benchmarks for visa liberalisation”. That is the position taken in a joint resolution adopted in Strasbourg on Thursday 25 November. The EP is critical, too, of the way the local elections of 31 October were organised and says it is “concerned” by “recent developments that could undermine media freedom and pluralism” in Ukraine. The EP calls on the Ukrainian authorities to bring the legislation on media freedom into line with OSCE standards. MEPs welcome Ukraine's pro-European stance and note that, under the terms of Article 49 of the EU Treaty, it “may apply for membership of the EU like any European state that adheres to the principles of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law”. Ukraine has “a European perspective”, MEPs say. (H.B./transl.rt)