Brussels, 24/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle said on 17 August they were very concerned about the extradition from Ukraine on 15 August of a national from the Republic of Ingushetia (Russian Federation) having refugee status. They stated that this affair shows a breach of the obligation to respect the principle of non-refoulement and went on to say that the decision is also counter to the commitments taken by Ukraine regarding the action plan on the liberalisation of visas, in terms of protecting the rights of asylum seekers and refugees. “It is regrettable that in this case Ukraine appears not to have respected these commitments, despite repeated and explicit requests in the last few weeks from both UNHCR and the EU”, they added.
Concern also about future elections. In addition, the spokesperson for Füle, Peter Stano, said on 14 August that the EU “took note” of the Ukrainian electoral commission's rejection of the candidature, amongst others, of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, saying that this decision “is not in the right direction”. Stano added that these events, which the EU is following “very closely”, are not going to improve relations between the EU and Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities should be concerned about the problems of the parliamentary elections which must be free, fair and in conformity with international standards, the spokesman said. He stressed that the EU will re-evaluate its position with regard to Ukraine according to the way the elections are held. (CG/transl.fl)