European Parliament calls for sanctions against Ukrainian leaders
(BRUSSELS2) The European Parliament should adopt this Thursday, February 6, a resolution asking the European institutions and the governments of the Member States to initiate targeted measures and sanctions (abolition of visas and freezing of assets) against those responsible for violations of human rights. rights and the rule of law in Ukraine as well as those responsible for the repressions against peaceful demonstrators. MEPs debated in plenary session the content of the text, this Wednesday, February 5, after the intervention of the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Füle, who spoke on behalf of C. Ashton.
Condemnation of violence and support for the demand for sanctions for the EPP
For Elmar Brok, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee (EPP), “ condemned the use of violence and called on all parties to restore a minimum level of trust”. The German MEP - who spoke on behalf of the EPP - came out in favor of adopting targeted sanctions for lawmakers and politicians, as well as their economic backers, responsible "massive violations of human rights going as far as the death of citizens and the implementation of draconian laws in violation of international law".
"It is not Europe's role to 'liberate' Ukraine" Swoboda (S&D/Austria)
“We call for a compromise between the government and the opposition, and for early elections and a revision of the Constitution. We don't want this people's uprising for democracy and the rule of law to fail like the Orange Revolution failed. » launched the Austrian Hannes Swoboda, on behalf of the Socialists & Democrats group. Fearing the worst case scenario, " civil war ", Swoboda (who bears a predestined name, meaning "freedom" in Slavic) considers that "it is not the task of the European Union to 'liberate' Ukraine he points out that "Russia (also did not) the right to colonize it.
Sanctions accompanied “positive measures” G. Verhofstadt (ALDE/Belgium)
For Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), Europe needs " a credible, proactive strategy that will bring about change in Ukraine and put an end to the violence". « We must be ready to take targeted sanctions against members of the regime: ban them from traveling to Europe, limit their visas and above all freeze their assets. » Sanctions that will take place if Mr. Yanukovych does not immediately comply with the rules of democracy and reason” and who should “to go hand in hand with positive measures, a visa-free regime for all Ukrainian citizens and a substantial financial aid program to support the Ukrainian economy”.
Begin the work of the advisory panel. European Commission
For Commissioner Füle “Above all, we must aim to create lasting stability in the country. We need a new government, whatever its composition, but credible for the population”. The European Union “stands ready to help all parties to engage in this political process” he says. He also asks that the advisory panel proposed by the Council begin "to work immediately".
Download the project from joint resolution the EPP (thirty MEPs including Brok, Salafranca, Gahler, Danjean, Kelam), the S&D (Roucek, Gomes, Picula, Koppa, Jaakonsaari, Zala, Martin), the ALDE (14 MEPs including President Verhofstadt), the Greens (including Harms, Schulz and Cronberg), the ECR (including Tannock) and Paska for the EFD.
(Leonor Hubaut)
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