You're reading: Azarov at meeting with Cox, Kwasniewski: We are open in all issues

Ukrainian Premier Mykola Azarov has met with the European Parliament observers in Ukraine - former President of the European Parliament Pat Cox and former President of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski.

The information and public liaisons department of the secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine said that the meeting was held on Friday. The aim of the visit of the EP observers is the monitoring of court hearings of criminal cases against jailed Ukrainian opposition leaders and former officials.

“You are carrying out a difficult and emotionally strained task. Your objective and unbiased evaluation of the situation is very important to us. We realize that you need to be fully informed to make such an evaluation. That’s why we are trying to provide you with detailed information to the maximum,” Azarov said at the meeting.

Cox said that the observers have met with members of many non-governmental organizations, who briefed them on positive changes in Ukraine.

“They added optimism to our perception of the current situation and helped us to make an unbiased evaluation,” he said.

In addition, the premier explained the EP observers that the hearing by the High Specialized Court of Ukraine of the appeal against the court ruling in the gas case against former Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko had been postponed three times because the ex-premier needed more time to undergo a medical examination. Azarov added that the demand that Tymoshenko has to attend the hearing of the appeal personally was stipulated in the final ruling of the European Court of Human Rights.

“As you can see, we don’t have any forbidden topics. We are open in all issues. This refers to medical consultations and the presence of European representatives at court hearings. But we strictly distinguish our obligations to the international community connected with our openness on the one hand, and procedural aspects on the other hand,” Azarov said.