Brussels, 08/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 7 April, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton welcomed the pardon granted the same day by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to six people - including the former ministers of the interior, Yuriy Lutsenko, and of the environment, Georgy Filiptchouk - who had sentenced to imprisonment. “This is an important step by the Ukrainian authorities in addressing the concerns regarding the matter of selective justice”, Ashton and Füle said in a press release, now looking forward “to Ukraine addressing without further delay the outstanding case of selective justice and preventing any recurrence of selective justice by a comprehensive judicial reform in line with European standards”. Earlier in the day, Füle had already welcomed the pardon, commenting “At last” on the social network Twitter.
President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz also welcomed the pardon and the release of Lutsenko, which he described as “positive signs”. He said that a fair and independent judicial system is needed in Ukraine and that the “release of Mr Lutsenko is a move in the right direction”. He welcomed the work of the European Parliament's mission of Pat Cox and Aleksander Kwasniewski. Like Ashton and Füle, Schulz emphasised that the efforts to improve the conditions and deal with the case of the former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko continue.
The Lithuanian, Polish and Swedish foreign affairs ministers - Linas Linkevicius, Radek Sikorski and Carl Bildt respectively - also welcomed the news on Twitter. In Sikorski's view, the release of the former minister is a “move in the right direction”, and an “encouraging sign before the summit of the Eastern partnership”. “More positive steps to follow would build more confidence for EU perspective”, said Linkevicius. In Bildt's opinion, this is a “good first step” that “shows what can be done”. “More should follow”, he said.
The president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Jean-Claude Mignon, greatly welcomed Lutsenko's release.
On 4 April, Ashton and Füle had criticised the decision of the Ukrainian Higher Specialised Court for Civil and Criminal Cases to uphold the verdict of 4 years' imprisonment for Lutsenko (see EUROPE 10821). (CG/transl.fl)