Ukrainian President: Reforms are in Line With the Country's Commitments to the Council of Europe

KYIV, Ukraine, June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

It is of utmost importance for Ukraine to fully meet its commitments to the Council of Europe, after becoming a member 16 years ago, said the President of Ukraine Victor Yanukovych at the PACE session in Strasbourg. To apply the EU legislative standards, Ukrainian parliament has already adopted laws on access to public information, principles on prevention and combating corruption, and free legal aid, stated the Ukrainian leader.

Ukraine has already fulfilled a number of commitments to the Council of Europe by developing a program of economic reforms, adopting a series of important laws, such as the law on domestic and foreign policy, developing the new budget and tax codes, and looks forward to finalizing the process before the end of the year. The adoption of the new Code on Criminal Procedures, which has been developed in accordance with European standards and rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, will become the last commitment for Ukraine to fulfill, according to President Yanukovych.

Constitutional reform was launched in Ukraine with establishing of the Constitutional Assembly. It is planned that the new draft of the constitution, prepared by the Assembly in a form of a presidential bill, would have to be considered by the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada) after the elections in 2012. The Assembly will  work closely with the European Commission for Democracy through Law.

Ukrainian leadership has also launched an anticorruption campaign. The new law on Principles of Prevention and Combating Corruption in Ukraine stipulates that government officials and their close relatives now are obliged to publish declarations in the official press. To enhance the fight on corruption, Ukraine has adopted new laws on judicial system and the status of Judges.

Transparency of public institutions has been another pressing issue for Ukraine. The new Law on Access to Public Information has made it impossible for government officials to hide the budget expenditures from the public. According to the law, all information including budget expenditures - should be released to citizens within a period of five to 30 days. The Law also increases protection of journalists.

Currently, the draft laws on NGOs, elections of members of Parliament and Criminal Code procedures are undergoing different stages of finalization.