Democracy on trial in Ukraine

Ottawa – “The president of Ukraine must be told that it is not just Tymoshenko he has put on trial, but democracy itself,” Edmonton East Member of Parliament Peter Goldring said in the House of Commons today during Question Period.

Mr. Goldring is vice-chair of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Group and member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. He was the only Canadian Member of Parliament in Ukraine for the entire Orange Revolution.

“Twenty years ago today the people of Ukraine held a referendum, overwhelmingly choosing democracy and independence” he said. “Their choice was affirmed during the 2004 Orange Revolution, where from Independence Square came a wonderful message of a nation’s people peacefully demanding and getting democratic reform. But that democratic light is now fading, as the newly elected regime slips backward towards totalitarianism, abusing the very courts and laws intended to protect citizens’ democratic and civil rights.”

Mr. Goldring called on Canada and all free nations, along with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), to be vigilant, and continue to speak out against this abuse of democracy.

Earlier Thursday, Mr. Goldring attended a sitting of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. Mr. Goldring took the lead on a number of questions regarding the state of democracy in both Ukraine and Belarus.

The Committee heard from a number of witnesses, including the Honourable John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International

Trade, who echoed Mr. Goldring’s concerns regarding the trial and conviction of former Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko. Minister Baird acknowledged that Ukraine’s upcoming candidacy for chairmanship of the OSCE presented an opportunity for Canada to urge the Ukrainian government to strengthen its judicial independence and capacity. Mr. Goldring has committed to bring the matter to the OSCE annual Parliamentary Assembly in July 2012.

The Committee also heard from representatives from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia who spoke of the oppression of political opponents and lack of judicial independence in both Ukraine and Belarus. Referencing Tymoshenko’s incarceration, Ramualds Razuks, Member of Parliament from Latvia, observed that instances of executive power influencing the judicial branch were a clear violation of democracy.

Former Belarusian presidential candidate Ales Michalevic also appeared before the Committee. Mr. Michalevic said it used to be joked that Belarus had governance but no democracy while Ukraine had democracy but no governance. Regrettably, he says Ukraine no longer has democracy either. Mr. Michalevic was released after being imprisoned and tortured for two months by the KGB following the Belarusian election in 2010. He is now living in exile.

Mr. Goldring was the lead on questions pertaining to Ukraine and Belarus for the Conservative Party.

The full text of Mr. Goldring’s statement in the House reads:

DEMOCRACY ON TRIAL IN UKRAINE

Mr. Speaker,

Twenty years ago today the people of Ukraine held a referendum, overwhelmingly choosing democracy and independence.

Their choice was affirmed during the 2004 Orange Revolution, where from Independence Square came a wonderful message of a nation’s people peacefully demanding and getting democratic reform.

But that democratic light is now fading, as the newly elected regime slips backward towards totalitarianism, abusing the very courts and laws intended to protect citizens’ democratic and civil rights.

The arrest, show trial, conviction and jailing of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is politically motivated, intended to prevent her candidacy in upcoming elections.

All free nations, along with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, must remain vigilant, must continue to speak out against this abuse of rights and democracy.

The president of Ukraine must be told that it is not just Tymoshenko he has put on trial, but democracy itself.