Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko discussed the level of democracy in Ukraine with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis on Feb.7.
"In order to put our country back on the democratic path of development, we need an active civil society and the international community’s support. The party [Batkivschyna] I lead and I personally are doing everything in our power to protect democratic values in Ukraine," Tymoshenko said.
Lithuania today holds the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
The Ukrainian government’s measures to obstruct the work of the opposition are unacceptable, Azubalis said.
Human rights, freedom of speech and political pluralism are key for a democratic society, the Batkivschyna party’s press service quoted the Lithuanian minister as saying at the meeting.
Azubalis said that the OSCE and he personally, as a journalist by profession, could not stay indifferent to the situation surrounding these issues in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian authorities’ steps to hamper the opposition’s activities are unacceptable and have caused serious concern, Azubalis said.
The strengthening of democracy and human rights remain the greatest priorities of the Batkivschyna party, Tymoshenko said.
