EU voices concern over Kyiv election ruling

The EU Delegation to Ukraine expressed its concern on June 4 regarding the Constitutional Court’s May 29 ruling to hold the Kyiv City Council election in 2015. “Having the common task of moving towards political association and the economic integration of Ukraine and the EU, we pay careful attention to respect for common values, including such democratic principles as free and fair elections,” EU Delegation to Ukraine Press and Information Officer David Stulik told an Interfax-Ukraine reporter, while commenting on the court’s ruling. “In this context, we are deeply concerned about the announced postponement of the local elections in Kyiv – which were held in 2008 last time – until 2015,” the diplomat said.

Zenon Zawada: The Constitutional Court ruling is the latest in a series of government actions that have disappointed the EU leadership, which also include the failure to prosecute those involved in the May 18 attack on journalists (charges have been filed against one attacker). The current campaign by the Presidential Administration to replace the Central Election Commission chair also has potential to upset the EU.

In pursuing an Association Agreement with the EU, the Ukrainian government could have overcome the burden of having imprisoned former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko with consistent, gradual steps demonstrating its commitment to Western values and institutions. The accumulation of small, positive measures could have convinced the EU leadership to overlook Tymoshenko’s imprisonment. Yet the government is failing in taking these steps as well, which is what has put the likelihood of signing the Association Agreement at below 50%. Our assessment of the situation was confirmed by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, who said on May 29 that the EU leadership wouldn’t sign the agreement if a decision had to be made today.