Brussels, 14/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - Last week (10 January) during a meeting of the Ministerial Troika with the Ukraine in Madrid, the EU reiterated its call to the Ukrainian government to continue the economic and institutional reform process needed for improving the democratic institutions and advancing the development of a real market economy. The EU delegation led by Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Josep Piqué and including CFSP High Representative, Javier Solana, Commissioner Chris Patten and Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Karsten Sondergaard (in the role of representative of the future EU Presidency). The Ukraine was represented in Madrid by its Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anatoly Zlenko. Mr Zlenko stressed that the next parliamentary elections will take palce under a new electoral system (adopted last October) and "which is founded on European standards" "and which complies with democratic principles". The Ukrainian government has even invited a group of international organisations and institutions, including the European Parliament to supervise the elections in the country. Mr Zlenko asserted that with regard to the issue of a free press (another point on which the EU had sharply criticised the Ukraine), the government considered the question of freedom of expression as of crucial importance, as well as the question of a free press and the personal safety of journalists. Other subjects concerned energy co-operation, nuclear safety, WTO access to the Ukraine and the war against terrorism.