THE PRESIDENT
Thank you
very much, Mr President, for your inspiring, encouraging and courageous speech.
Members of the Assembly have expressed a wish to put questions to
you. A list has been circulated of the names of members wishing
to ask questions, in the order in which they were notified to the
Table Office.
I remind members that questions must be limited to thirty
seconds. Please show solidarity with your colleagues. You should
ask questions and not make speeches.
The first question is from Mr Mercan.
Mr MERCAN (Turkey)
On behalf of the
European People’s Party, I congratulate you on your personal victory,
Mr Yushchenko. Your people’s determination and strong will expressed
through democratic values throughout the election period in your
country have been admirable. I am very pleased to welcome you to
the Hemicycle as the President of Ukraine. It has been a pleasure
to hear your vision for your country. The fact that you are visiting
the Council of Europe after your inauguration ceremony is not simply
symbolic.
We would like to take this opportunity to invite your views
on regional co-operation and European Union relations and Nato.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that he was very grateful for such an important question.
The general strategy of Ukraine was integration into European structures.
It would also develop regional structures, paving the way to membership
of the European Union. Ukraine was planning many initiatives – for
example, the Black Sea initiatives – which were establishing economic
structures on the basis of projects. Other initiatives included
projects with neighbouring countries – for example, producing energy
for a united Europe.
Mr EÖRSI (Hungary)
Mr Gongadze’s
widow is present in the Chamber. She can never get her husband back,
but she is entitled to know the truth about what happened to him.
You mentioned the Gongadze case twice. What can you do to ensure
that the truth is revealed and justice restored? Mrs Gongadze and
all democrats in Ukraine will want to hear your answer.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that it was the goal of his country to finalise a solution
to this moral, ethical and judicial problem, which was a problem
of conscience. For both him and his government it was a moral challenge
to which they would react quickly and in full. Next week he would
be holding a meeting with Mr Gongadze’s mother to establish what
she wanted him to do.
In the previous week he had met the Prosecutor General with
whom he discussed the issue. They had decided that the case would
go to the court as soon as possible. Two cases had already gone
to court that were directly linked with the murder of Mr Gongadze.
He said that he was completely responsible for taking this issue forward
and that there would be an open public investigation in the Ukrainian
court in the near future.
Mr MARGELOV (Russian Federation) (interpretation)
said
that Mr Yushchenko had set out some prospects for Ukraine’s integration
into the European Union. He asked how the President saw Ukraine’s
integration with European states that were not in the European Union.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that Russia was Ukraine’s strategic partner and neighbour.
It was to Russia that Ukraine turned to develop its interests. Relations
with Russia would be formalised on an economic and fiscal basis.
Mr ROCHEBLOINE (France) (interpretation)
said that during
the presidential campaign the public had been struck by the risk of
internal dispute within Ukraine. He asked whether this risk was
still topical and, if so, what measures Mr Yushchenko would take
to combat it.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said he had won the Ukrainian presidential election in seventeen regions
and in the capital city, Kyiv. No previous presidential winner had
been victorious in more than fifteen regions. He had wide geographical
support across Ukraine and was certain that there was no natural
reason for dispute between the east and west of Ukraine.
He said that initiatives made several weeks ago by his opponent
did not reflect the natural inclination of the people and he felt
that breaking Ukraine with federalism would not be possible. He
said that it would be very important to Ukraine to hear the European
institutions support unity within Ukraine, and he was grateful for
the support he had heard that afternoon in the Assembly.
Mr RZYMEŁKA (Poland)
I want to ask
President Yushchenko about the future of nuclear energy, and its
safe production, in Ukraine as it relates to the nuclear power plants
of Chornobyl, Khmelnitsky and Rivne. Will you consult neighbouring
countries on the construction of such plants, as required by international
convention? I wish you and Ukraine all the best. We have a common
future in Europe.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that a number of international agreements had been signed with
European banks to fund the construction of two nuclear plants in
Ukraine. In 2000, a number of meetings had also been held regarding
seeking European funding to help close the Chornobyl plant. He said
that special funding had been found to complete the two nuclear
plants and their construction was now over. Ukraine would now work
to improve the safety of the country’s entire nuclear power system.
Mr GADZINOWSKI (Poland) (interpretation)
asked Mr Yushchenko
what his opinion was of the situation of national minorities in
Ukraine, particularly with regard to Polish minorities.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that he appreciated the relations that had developed
between Ukraine and Poland. He had seen many examples of the two
nations working together to reach compromise.
He and his government would pursue the road of mutual understanding
with the Polish Government. On the specific issue of the Lviv cemetery
he had called on Lviv Regional Council to take action.
He said that the children of any minority group in Ukraine
would be able to speak the language of their father. Any minority
would have his full support.
Ms DURRIEU (France) (interpretation)
asked what immediate
action Mr Yushchenko would take to further democratic ideals in
Ukraine.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that most Ukrainians did not like the fact that they
had had criminal regimes, no rule of law, no independent courts
and no free media. He noted that 55% of the economy was hidden.
Last year he had set up the “Centre of Europe”, a project
to further democracy in Ukraine. It had developed a strategy on
how to develop access to the European Union and this strategy would
form the basis of the policies that his government would submit
to parliament.
Ukraine was already a different country. The media was not
censored and there were 136 criminal cases pending on electoral
fraud. This showed that a lot had been done already. He would develop
a dialogue with the business world and reduce taxation, but would
make sure that everybody would pay tax. There was a lot of work
to do but with the assistance of bodies like the Council of Europe
he would be successful.
Ms HOFFMANN (Germany) (interpretation)
asked how Mr Yushchenko
intended to work closely with both the European Union and with Russia.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that Russia was Ukraine’s strategic partner. His heart belonged
to Europe, but Ukraine could not arrive in Europe carrying the baggage
of its problems with Russia. Europe expected Ukraine to solve these
problems. He undertook to work with Russia on these issues.
The borders of Ukraine were borders with Europe. The European
market was six times more valuable than that of Russia. Ukraine
would be stupid to ignore this fact. He would try to open the door
to Europe but could not do this through rhetoric alone. He would
work effectively to ensure that Ukraine became a member of the European
Union.
Ms TEVDORADZE (Georgia) (interpretation)
said that Ukraine
had obligations to the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission
to change its constitution. She asked what Mr Yushchenko was doing
to this end.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that recent changes to the constitution were based on compromise.
Some parliamentarians did not share the views on which this compromise
was based. He would establish initiatives to amend the constitution
because parliament understood that changes had to be made as a result
of commitments made to Europe.
Mr RAKHANSKY (Ukraine) (interpretation)
congratulated
Mr Yushchenko and noted that the permanent delegation of Ukraine
to the Council of Europe had been criticised for not implementing
Ukraine’s commitments to the Council of Europe. He asked how this
would change.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
thanked Mr Rakhansky for an important question. Ukraine should endeavour
to meet all the commitments that it took on when it joined the Council
of Europe. There were two outstanding commitments, of which the
legislative initiative would be dealt with within six months. After
this he hoped that there would be a review of the monitoring of
Ukraine by the Council of Europe.
Mr WIELOWIEYSKI (Poland)
Thank you, Mr President.
Mr Yushchenko, I am happy that I have lived to see this fascinating
emergence of popular energy and initiative in Ukraine for a better
world, for dignity, freedom and democracy. But what about the follow-up?
What measures should be taken to attract direct foreign investment
to enlarge the activities of foreign firms in Ukraine? That will
be important for the modernisation of the country and should be
a strong incentive for its quick development.
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that Mr Wielowieyski had raised an important question
relating to the national economy. Today $600 million was invested
annually in Ukraine. By contrast, over $7 billion was invested each
year in Poland. He said that the difference spoke for itself. Investors
did not like political instability, the absence of independent courts,
or the lack of guaranteed security for capital that had been invested.
Corruption had permeated Ukraine from top to bottom. He was
appalled that bureaucrats accepted bribes. The regulatory policy
was too complicated. This elevated the role of the bureaucrats and
allowed corruption to flourish. This had to change.
He would create investors’ councils to learn from them what
they thought and to help them to remove the obstacles to foreign
investment in Ukraine. He wanted to send a clear message to the
rest of the world that Ukraine was a good place to invest and was
stable, ruled by law, and protected its investors. Ukraine would
be the next modern market in Europe.
THE PRESIDENT
Thank you,
Mr Yushchenko. I can call only two more members for questions, which
is a pity as there are so many on the list. The first is Mr Marty.
Mr MARTY (Switzerland) (interpretation)
said that
the applause after Mr Yushchenko’s speech had been an expression
of the great expectations placed on Mr Yushchenko. He asked whether
the new President would assist in the fight against trafficking
of human beings, especially of new born babies, and whether he was
prepared to investigate the cases in the Ukraine and assist the
Rapporteur of the Social Affairs and Family Committee?
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said that he could guarantee that Ukraine would do everything
in its power to help in that process, and would open the procedures
up to transparency. His government would host the mission and assist
it wherever possible.
Mr MIHKELSON (Estonia)
We are aware
of the enormous challenges that you face at home, but we understand
that it is important to Ukraine’s future that its people share a
clear vision. Do Ukrainians have that vision? How do you, Mr Yushchenko,
visualise Ukraine’s international position in, let us say, fifteen
years?
Mr Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (interpretation)
said his policy was based on Ukraine being both the geographic centre
of Europe and its heart. The future of Europe was impossible without
Ukraine. Further European integration would take account of the
fact that Ukraine was part of European culture. Ukraine would be
a long term member of the European Union and of other European structures.
When that would happen was not known, but the answer lay not in
Brussels but in Kyiv. It depended on the ambition of the government’s
agenda and the ability of the new team to deliver it. The road to
Europe was scattered not only with roses but with rocks. The strategic
goal was to overcome those problems and that must always be kept
in mind. Ukraine would also work on developing good bilateral relations
with neighbouring countries. As he had said the day before to President
Putin of Russia, bilateral policy must be effective. He would be
responsible for everything he said and expected his colleagues to
be the same. Ukraine would be European, democratic and prosperous.
THE PRESIDENT
We must
now conclude questions to Mr Yushchenko. On behalf of the Assembly,
we thank him most warmly. When he arrived at the Council of Europe,
the first thing he did was go to his people. He occupies a warm
place in the hearts of so many in this country and outside it. He
has encouraged us today to pursue our ideals and to fight harder
to achieve our goals and to uphold our principles. I hope that through our
applause we have encouraged you, Mr President. Thank you very much
for your speech and especially for your willingness to co-operate
with the Council of Europe in an open and transparent way. We shall
support you with all the tools at our disposal in all aspects of
your reform process.
