Ukrainian PM thanks European Parliament monitors, expects continued cooperation
KYIV. Oct 10 (Interfax) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov met with former European Parliament President Pat Cox and former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski on Tuesday to thank them for their active and impartial activities in monitoring high-profile court cases in Ukraine, the Ukrainian government press service reported.
Azarov said the European Parliament mission promoted mutual trust and helped Europe better understand specifics of Ukrainian laws and court practices.
Azarov confirmed Ukraine's willingness to continue cooperation with Kwasniewski and Cox after parliamentary elections in Ukraine.
He said he was sure that democratic, free and honest parliamentary elections in Ukraine would prove maturity of Ukrainian democracy and would be an important step toward closer relations between Ukraine and the EU.
Cox and Kwasniewski have been monitoring court proceedings on a number of high-profile cases on behalf of the European Parliament, including those of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and former Interior Minister Yury Lutsenko, under a May 16 agreement between Azarov and European Parliament President Martin Schulz.
As of October, Cox and Kwasniewski have visited Ukraine eight times and attended court hearings on the said cases and met with the defendants as well as officials from the Prosecutor General's Office, the State Penitentiary Service, and other institutions concerned.