Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych has addressed Ukrainian citizens on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day and acknowledged that human rights are not yet fully protected in the state.
"Today Ukraine with the whole world marks International Human Rights Day. The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights more than sixty years ago," reads an address by the president, the text of which was posted on the Web site of the president on Friday.
President Yanukovych noted that regulations of the declaration are stipulated in the Constitution of Ukraine, the legislative basis to ensure rights and freedoms of citizens has been created in Ukraine, the country is integrated with the European system of human rights protection, and the process of bringing the national legislation in line with the European human rights standards is continuing.
"But we have to acknowledge that main principles proclaimed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are often not a standard to be achieved, but a mere slogan. I am especially concerned that a strategy to combat poverty has not been implemented in Ukraine, and there are cases of the violation of human rights by the employees of the law enforcement agencies," Yanukovych said.
According to the president, only through sweeping reforms can the situation in the human rights sphere be fundamentally changed.
