Brussels, 10/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - Jacek Saryusz (EPP, Poland) has stated he is in favour of the new visa facilities that the Commission plans to grant to Ukrainian nationals, saying in a press release that the European Parliament should support this approach. On 3 July, Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany) was, however, very reluctant regarding this step suggested by the Commission, first of all calling on Ukrainian authorities to fully meet European standards and rule of law, and not wishing this facilitated system to be used in Ukraine to electoral ends. In recent days, the European Commission nonetheless adopted its decision to amend a visa facilitation agreement already in force, which should add to the list of categories of Ukrainian nationals who have visa exemptions. The EP is to approve the decision.
Jacek Saryusz believes Ukrainian nationals should not have to pay for the failings of the Ukrainian authorities and breaches of human rights, for example those committed against the former prime minister, Julia Timoshenko. The Ukrainian state does not deserve this visa facilitation process but the Ukrainian people does deserve it, the Polish representative said, even taking a stance in favour of total visa liberalisation for the country, a regime that should, in his view, be granted before those envisaged for Russia and Belarus. (SP/transl.jl)