On behalf of Secretary General Thørbjorn Jagland, let me warmly welcome Foreign Minister Klimkin, Justice Minister Petrenko and their delegation to Strasbourg. And let me thank the Ukrainian authorities for initiating this day, in order to take stock of the country’s democratic reforms, specifically in the context of our Action Plan which gives a frame to our co-operation activities and is, by the way, the biggest Action Plan to have ever been approved by our Committee of Ministers.

Let me state, at the outset, our common view that lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine can only be delivered through a process of deep democratic renewal by building upon our common values, human rights, democracy and rule of law.

The Council of Europe is a firm partner to Ukraine in achieving this goal.

The country has embarked on an ambitious democratic reform programme and is entering into a crucial period.  

As experience in Europe and beyond has shown, transitions to a stable democracy take time. And they can be successful only if there is a degree of political stability and a sense of the common good ‒ what is in the best interest of the nation. 

Some important steps have been taken.

They include the adoption of the constitutional amendments and other laws relating to the judiciary, last June. These create a unique opportunity for putting in place a modern and independent justice system.

The newly-created institutions to prevent and prosecute corruption have become operational.

The reform of a new and modern National Police force has been completed.

Others actions require even more determination, given the very challenging political context.

While the work on decentralisation has been intensive in many aspects, and several milestone laws have been adopted, only constitutionally-guaranteed decentralisation will anchor democracy at the regional and local levels and will strengthen national reconciliation and unity. Work on the electoral legislation should also continue.

And a major fight Ukraine still has to win is against its old enemy – corruption. Two years after the Revolution of Dignity, the influence of powerful oligarchs is still too present in political and economic life – and this is a stumbling block to modernisation.

It is therefore vital that Ukraine takes new and forceful steps to further tackle cronyism and corruption. We stand ready to help in any way we can.

I note the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption. Their political and operational independence must be guaranteed and they should be able to operate in a clear legal framework which allows them to
co-operate effectively with the Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Security Service and, in the future, with the State Bureau of Investigation.

It is high time for the Prosecutor General’s Office to undergo a genuine transformation, in line with the European standards.

And let me stress the critical importance of freedom of expression and media pluralism in the open and democratic society that Ukraine is striving to build. We hope that our joint efforts this year will lead to the completion of the work on the new Public Broadcaster. We also expect that stronger guarantees for the safety and protection of journalists are put in place. 

As we partner, we welcome the government’s efforts, but I want also to acknowledge the contribution made by a new generation of reform-oriented politicians; by the courageous whistleblowers who speak out against abuses of power; and by Ukraine’s vibrant and determined civil society. They will give Ukrainian democracy strong roots. They must be engaged in the process, they must believe in the reform programme, and we will continue to work closely with them.

I also want to acknowledge the extraordinary challenges Ukraine faces as we move ahead.

Lasting stability has not yet been secured in the East. The conflict continues to impact on the lives of the millions who live in the affected areas, as well as those who have been displaced, giving rise to serious humanitarian concerns.

The Council of Europe, as you all know, does not recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, and the human rights of the 2.5 million people living there remain high in our minds. In particular, the Crimean Tatar community. Following the Council of Europe human rights mission to Crimea earlier this year, initiated by our Secretary General, we continue to search for the necessary diplomatic agreement that will enable us to monitor human rights on the peninsula – so that its inhabitants can enjoy the same protections granted to other Europeans by the European Convention on Human Rights.

  Across the country as a whole, despite efforts to begin reforming the economy, severe financial hardship remains.

At the Council of Europe, these challenges only embolden us in our determination to help Ukraine build a strong, robust and inclusive democracy.

We take the presence of the Foreign Minister, the Justice Minister and their teams here today as a welcome sign of the Government’s continued commitment to this end.

In particular, I would like to thank Ambassador Dmytro Kuleba.

I would also like to thank all those donors whose voluntary contributions have together secured 25m euros for our Action Plan.

As always, the partnership with the EU is important, and the Action Plan contributes directly to priorities set out in Ukraine’s Association Agenda with the EU.

Particular thanks also go to Sweden Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Turkey, Estonia, Lichtenstein, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, France, Romania, the Czech Republic and the Human Rights Trust Fund.

That lengthy list is a reminder to Ukraine that its fellow member States stand behind it. That we stand with Ukraine as it strengthens its democracy, protects human rights and entrenches the rule of law. This is the only route to lasting prosperity and peace, and it is in this spirit of togetherness and ambition that we shall continue. Thank you.