Former President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek said that Europe will not change its visa policy for Ukraine even with the possible introduction of sanctions against the country.
"I don’t think that we will follow this way. We don’t want to punish your citizens for the actions of the current authorities," Buzek said in an interview with the Kommersant Ukraine newspaper published on Wednesday, when asked whether the EU’s visa policy could be changed in relation to Ukraine.
"The visa issue is very important to your citizens, and it is also important to us. Europe is interested in organizing more frequent contacts between you and us. This rule will also be effective during Euro 2012 [European Football Championship], as we want more European fans to visit Ukraine. Although, probably, you will not see some European politicians at the championship near your leadership," he said.
While commenting on a list of officials, which was passed to Brussels by the Ukrainian oppositionists, so that sanctions to be used against these officials, Buzek said that "everything is possible."
"But I would like to stress that other options are possible when our relations improve. Fair elections and the settlement of the problems of jailed former politicians could change the current state of affairs… We could achieve results even before Euro 2012 – it would be sufficient to find a solution in the situation of the ex-premier in the last few remaining days," he said.
When asked whether the EU has instruments to influence Kyiv, Buzek said that "sanctions are a real instrument of influence in the sphere of international relations, but these are a last hope means."
"If the European Commission, EP and EU member-states are discussing a boycott of the Ukrainian part of Euro 2012, this means that we’re talking about a certain [level of] isolation," he said.
Buzek also said that there are three aspects that should be fulfilled for success – free elections, observations of human rights and prisoners’ rights, including their medical treatment, as well as reform implementation.
