Written declaration No. 637 | Doc. 14379 | 29 June 2017

The authorities of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine are urged to cease harassment and political prosecution of pro-reform forces

Signatories: Ms Kristýna ZELIENKOVÁ, Czech Republic, ALDE ; Ms Iwona ARENT, Poland, EC ; Mr Piet De BRUYN, Belgium, NR ; Mr Paolo CORSINI, Italy, SOC ; Mr Yves CRUCHTEN, Luxembourg, SOC ; Lord George FOULKES, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Jean-Pierre GRIN, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Andres HERKEL, Estonia, EPP/CD ; Mr Serhii KIRAL, Ukraine, EC ; Ms Nellija KLEINBERGA, Latvia, ALDE ; Ms Kerstin LUNDGREN, Sweden, ALDE ; Sir Alan MEALE, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Thomas MÜLLER, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Andrea RIGONI, Italy, ALDE ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Ms Olena SOTNYK, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Damien THIÉRY, Belgium, ALDE ; Mr Mart van de VEN, Netherlands, ALDE ; Mr Andrzej WOJTYŁA, Poland, EC ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

Both the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have signed European Union Association Agreements (AA), agreeing to fulfill European Union requirements regarding the implementation of extensive reforms.

It is our serious concern that, as of the end of 2016, the indicators of the reform implementation in Ukraine have gradually dropped.Moreover, a dangerous policy of the government-led reprisals against pro-reform forces and activists, including the ruling coalition’s own MPs, such as Svitlana Zalishchuk, has been observed. It is unacceptable that representatives of Self Reliance and Democratic Alliance political parties, including Andriy Sadovyi and Maksym Cherkasenko; activists of the anti-corruption watchdog ‘Anti-Corruption Action Centre’, such as Alexandra Ustinova, and investigative journalists become victims of political persecution and harassment.

An even more worrying situation is observed in the Republic of Moldova, as underlined in the Written Declaration No. 623 and Resolution No. 1955 (2013). We hereby condemn the political pressure on judges who refuse to issue politically motivated decisions and arrest warrants, e.g. in the case of Ana Ursachi. We hereby urge the authorities to implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the European Union on the new electoral law.

The authorities of both States must honour their accession commitments and cease political prosecution and harassment.