STATEMENT ON UKRAINE BY FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER JOHN BAIRD

(UCC) Parliamentary Update for September 28, 2011 on Topic of “Ukraine”

Mr. Robert Sopuck (Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette, CPC and Chair of the Canada Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group:

 Mr. Speaker, Ukraine has undergone a considerable transformation since the beginning of the Orange Revolution. However, what originally seemed an unstoppable wave of democratic freedom has since gone sour with the news that former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is being politically persecuted. 

Would the Minister of Foreign Affairs please make crystal clear for the House Canada’s concerns with Ukraine’s political situation?

Hon. John Baird (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, our government has expressed to the Ukrainian government our serious concern about the apparent bias in the ongoing judicial proceedings against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Political persecution is completely unacceptable. The appearance of political bias in judicial proceedings undermines the rule of law.

We urge, here today, the Ukrainian government to strengthen judiciary independence. We will continue to support efforts to build a peaceful democratic and prosperous society in Ukraine.