You're reading: PACE president urges Ukraine to hold reforms

Brussels - President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Anne Brasseur has congratulated the Ukrainian people on the progress made towards strengthening the democratic process and rule of law in the country.

“Thanks to the efforts of Ukrainian citizens, the country has made major steps forward in terms of the consolidation of democracy, including through the successful conduct of democratic elections for the President and Parliament. I salute them in what they have achieved,” Brasseur said on Friday, Nov. 21 on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Maidan (Revolution of Dignity) in Kyiv.

At the same time, Brasseur stressed the need for urgent and far-reaching reforms in order to address the systemic shortcomings in the country’s political and judicial systems that were at the origin of the Euromaidan protests.

“I urge the newly-elected parliament and newly-formed government to promptly start implementing the many reforms that are needed for the development of the country,” she said.

The PACE president highlighted the need for urgent constitutional reform without, and said the Assembly would continue to assist the authorities and the Verkhovna Rada in this work.

Full implementation of the ceasefire by all will be an essential element for the consolidation of democracy in Ukraine, she concluded.