Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaite says Ukraine’s European perspective will depend on the resolution of the case of Yulia Tymoshenko and other political prisoners, according to the Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko.
"Due to delayed reforms, especially in the sphere of human rights, Ukraine`s European perspective is becoming increasingly vague. Therefore, unambiguous and rapid decisions on the part of Ukraine are needed for maintaining further cooperation and mutual confidence. Legal reform, discarding the relics of post-Soviet repressive law, is a key priority," Dalia Grybauskaite said today following her visit with Yulia Tymoshenko in the Kharkiv hospital.
She said that Europe’s trust in Ukraine is diminishing. "The possibilities to rectify the complicated situation exist, but it is up to the Ukrainian people to decide whether to use or not these possibilities and whether to choose the path towards getting closer to Europe or the way of self-isolation," she underlined.
Dalia Grybauskaite said that the decision of the Ukrainian government to move Yulia Tymoshenko to a hospital where she will be under the care of German doctors is a positive sign, but that it is only the first step on the path towards European values. "Respect for human rights, the rule of law and democratic values is a major precondition for the European integration of Ukraine," she said.
The president of Lithuanian emphasized that Ukraine`s European perspective will depend on such factors as ensuring for Yulia Tymoshenko the right to adequate medical treatment, behavior with imprisoned opposition leaders, respect for human rights, and implementation of internal reforms.
