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Opinion: Ukraine should have particular interest to continue OSCE reform process
16:58 / 23.11.2012

ODESA, NOVEMBER 23rd, 2012, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ― Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's Representation to Ukraine Gabriele Baumann believes Ukraine should have a particular interest to continue the OSCE reform process, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The expert stated today, 23 November, during the public hearings “Ukraine’s European perspective after elections 2012”

As Mrs Baumann noted, “The OSCE expressed a lot of criticism concerning the elections in Ukraine. It has been said the holding of elections and the counting of votes were not transparent. A perplexity and negative atmosphere was expressed around this criticism in Kyiv... Now the question is how Ukraine can preside over the OSCE from 2013 if there are a lot of complains?”

As noted by Mr. Baumann, “The OSCE has expressed a lot of criticism of the conduct of elections in Ukraine. It has been said that the holding of elections and the counting of votes was not transparent and did not go in order. To this criticism in Kiev expressed little surprise and a negative atmosphere around this criticism ... Now the question is — how can the Ukraine from 2013 to chair an organization for which she is still complaining? As Ukraine is not a member of NATO, it should be a particular interest to continue OSCE reform process. The country's foreign policy seeks the path between the EU and Russia”.