Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna
Part of UK in Ukraine
16th May 2012
Football and politics
The images are powerful. A woman prisoner displays bruises which she says were caused by mistreatment by prison guards.
Allegations by ex-prime minister Yuliya Tymoshenko that she was physically mistreated by prison guards, followed by counter-claims by prison authorities that this never happened, have caused controversy in the rest of Europe. In an intense cycle of debate, there are reports that some politicians from EU countries will not attend the Euro 2012 football finals in Ukraine in protest. Some heavyweight political journals have argued that EU political leaders should not attend.
This is a sensitive subject, with powerful arguments on each side. But the debate highlights a key question: why are EU Member States taking such a close interest in Ukraine? The answer has been set out many times before in this blog. EU Member States are concerned that opposition leaders in Ukraine, including Ms Tymoshenko, have been tried and (in every case so far) jailed through a court process which appears both selective and politically influenced. EU leaders feel so strongly that this marks a significant deterioration in Ukraine’s democratic record that they have made clear that they are unlikely to sign or ratify the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement until opposition leaders are free from prison and able to participate in political activity.
The linkage between signature of the Association Agreement and the imprisonment of opposition leaders is important. Both the EU and Ukraine want the Agreement signed because it is the best mechanism to help Ukraine to become more like an EU country, boosting wealth and trade and promoting integration. Yet despite their eagerness to see the Association Agreement signed, all EU leaders agree that for that to happen, Ukraine has to demonstrate that it adheres to European values, including on democracy and human rights. The UK line on this was set out in full recently by Europe Minister David Lidington.
The UK hopes Ukraine will respond to the growing concerns from the rest of Europe about the state of democracy in Ukraine – not just for the sake of Euro 2012, but to ensure Ukraine can take the steps needed to continue their integration with, and ultimately to join, the EU.
I discussed these issues on Ukrainian Channel 5 on 14 May (in Ukrainian).
You say about justice and injustice in Ukraine.
Well,its really wrong what happens in Ukraine these days but…let me bring your attention to your own ‘injustice’ toward simple Ukrainian ppl who apply for the UK entry visas.Recently I read an article in Kyiv Post citing your words about situation with Ukrainian dancers happened earlier.This is very unfair and very typical practice for Western emabassies towards Ukrainians.
In my stance,its very hypocritical approach while you talk about fates of European prospective of Ukraine and in fact,find ridiculous reasons not to let simple Ukrainian ppl enter Europe while letting in the crowds from other countries.
I think its time to stop letting the UK subjects freely enter Ukraine as well as citizens of any country practicing discrimination towards Ukrainian visa applicants
Alexei
Thanks for this. Just to be clear, there is no discrimination of any kind here. The same rules apply to all visa applicants to the UK whoever they are, and whichever country they come from.
Leigh Turner
Here is the answer:you will find lots of Asian,African and Hispanic faces on the streets of London.
I don think you will find many Ukrainian visitors.I am at the end of my wits to get how Ukrainians dancers could be a problem for British security.
I am inhabitant of Kiev,Ukraine. It was a real frustration for me to read European news in which I see a little truth about Ukraine and president Yanucovich. All facts are distorted and one-side point of view is lit only. I thought Europe is more correct in any way. I consider such a description like “dictator,dictatorship,regime,terrorism and so on” absolutely unacceptable towards Ukraine. We are not Libya or Egypt,we are not even Russia! You wont find more democratic country on post Soviet-Union region than Ukraine. I am not Yanucovich adherent but I will describe you the situation in which Timoshenko is. But at first,you must get some information of her autobiography and her politic life. She is thief as any big politician in Ukraine.
And Ukrainian nation knows this well. Throughout her career her name was involved in very big scandals with bribery,abuse of office and many times she was pardoned not because of her name is clean but because of there was always someone who robbed Ukraine more than she did(Lazarenko for example,her former colleague). Anyone who dealt with her found trouble and her mission in Ukraine no to improve the poverty of Ukrainians but to pursuit her own gain or profiteering. As citizen of Ukraine I am quite satisfied that she is in jail,but not only she must be there. You know about the corruption level in Ukraine and do you really think that Timoshenko is innocent? It’d be a great plot for fiction writer! And again,she services in very luxury cell. Even free people and me too,cant afford themselves to live like she lives in prison cell! Why then do your pressmen write that Timoshenko is serviced in unhumane condition?! Thief must be jailed.