On Thursday 20 September, members of the EU-Ukraine parliamentary association committee encouraged the political class in Ukraine "to step up efforts in order to adopt the new electoral law in second reading as soon as possible".
According to the chair of the delegation, Dariusz Rosati (EPP, Poland), the MEPs also hope that "the renewed central electoral commission will swiftly enable the local elections planned for the autumn to take place, to ensure the further continuation of the highly positive decentralisation process". This commission decided to suspend the preparations for the elections in the newly formed amalgamated communities.
The MEPs also encouraged their Ukrainian counterparts to prolong the Donbas special status law expiring on 10 October 2018.
In a statement adopted by unanimity after the meeting of the parliamentary association committee in Ukraine, MEPs and Ukrainian parliamentarians asked all those responsible, at all levels, to refrain from obstructing the continuation of the decentralisation process and to overcome any existing barriers. The institutional capacity of the national agency on corruption prevention should be strengthened to check party finance and assets reports, the MEPs and Ukrainian parliamentarians also stated.
The parliamentary committee additionally called for the continuation of the fight against corruption, and for reforms of the judicial system, public administration and energy sector. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)