Today, Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov issued a statement regarding implementation of an initiative of European Parliament president Martin Schulz and Prime Minister of Ukraine dated May 16 this year, when politicians in Brussels have agreed to monitor judicial proceedings against the former Premier Yulia Timoshenko by the EU authoritative representatives.

Mykola Azarov stated:

I confirm with appreciation that by the results of our intensive contacts with the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz in recent weeks, and especially the last days, the parties have reached a final agreement on the composition of a group of recognized in Europe, authoritative representatives of the EU to monitor proceedings in which featured former Premier Yulia Timoshenko.

This mission is to perform the former President of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski and the former President of the European Parliament Pat Cox.

We are grateful to these figures, who have gained high reputation and trust among leading political forces in Europe, for agreeing to participate in the impartial study of "Tymoshenko case."

I want to assure the Ukrainian party is ready for constructive cooperation in this regard as well as we are going to provide the most favorable conditions for effective work of Aleksander Kwasniewski and Pat Cox.

We are open to impartial monitoring and are confident that the activities of such an authoritative tandem while the cassation process preparation and judicial hearing will allow all parties to be convinced of compliance of legal proceedings in "Tymoshenko case" with legal democratic standards, rule of law.

I look forward to meeting with Aleksandr Kwasniewski and Pat Cox in Kyiv already 11 June this year to discuss our further collaboration."