M. Azarov and T. Jagland discuss ways of settlement of the crisis in Kyiv

The meeting of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland in Davos concerned the ways of settlement the crisis joined with organized extremists in the centre of Kyiv mass unrest and the development of the political situation in whole.

Mykola Azarov stressed that these days the Government dealt not with peaceful protests but with well-organized, planned operation on the seizure of power. And even under these conditions the Government is demonstrating restraint, eager to settle the conflict peacefully.  

The Head of the Government noted the strategic course to the European integration remained unchangeable, all approved during this process laws are in effect as is a special law demanding that all the approved legislative acts corresponded European norms.

In this connection Mykola Azarov expressed readiness to consider all emerging issues concerning new norms of Ukrainian legislation with the Council of European and the Venice Commission.

“We are ready to discuss with your experts the content of laws approved on January 16 of the current year. In our opinion, an unbiased expert discussion has to convince our partners that these norms correspond completely to the norms present in the legislation of the European countries. Moreover, we would like our partners understand that approval of these laws was forced by the situation in Ukraine, the need to stop escalation of violence and illegal actions in the direction of the lawful country and citizens of Ukraine. We are ready to make amendments where necessary. But we have to keep in mind the principal goal that is vital to be achieved: to immediately stop the violence, isolate guerilla fighters from the society and start political settlement of the problems, including, if necessary, change of the electoral legislation and constitutional powers of the authorities,” the Prime Minister stated.

Moreover, the Head of the Government emphasized that the opposition must determine immediately whose side they take: the country and the Constitutional order or the side of eth extremists. It is the starting point for the determining the sides and the context of the political dialog.

In turn the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland noted: “We understand that eth constructive dialog must be maintained immediately and it will afford not only to settle the crisis situation but to divide the responsibility for what is going on in Kyiv. It is crucial to immediately stop the violence. The Council of Europe supports the constructive dialog and ready to facilitate it in every way”.

He considers the policy in a democratic country must be made not in the streets but in the legal field, notably, through approving laws in the parliament.

Thorbjorn Jagland supported a proposal to hold legal expertise and discussion with Ukrainian party the approved laws.

“The Council of Europe is ready to provide the conclusions concerning correspondence of these laws with the European norms and conventions,” the Secretary General of the Council of Europe stressed.

The parties agreed to immediately start respective consultations at the expert level.