COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
STATEMENT
ON THE CURRENT EVENTS IN UKRAINE
22 January 2014VilniusThe Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania,recallingthe Resolution of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania of 14 November 2013on Ukraine’s Commitments and Aspirations towards European Union Integration and theResolution of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania of 3 December 2013 on the PoliticalSituation in Ukraine;taking note ofthe U.S. Senate resolution on Ukraine, adopted on 7 January 2014;taking account ofthe Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton ondevelopments in the Ukrainian Parliament, issued on 17 January 2014;having regard tothe Council conclusions on Ukraine, adopted at the Foreign AffairsCouncil meeting on 20 January 2014;is deeply shocked
by the recent events in Ukraine when clashes between the protesters andmilitia officers have left hundreds of people injured, some of them severely injured or dead;regrets
the lost lives and extends its sincere condolences to the families and relatives ofthe victims;takes note of
the provocative actions by some of the groups aimed at turning peacefuldemonstrations into riots;is of the opinion
that the laws passed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on 16 January2014 do not comply with Ukraine’s international commitments ensuring human rights andfundamental freedoms, inadmissibly restrict freedom of speech and peaceful assembly as well asthe activity of non-governmental organisations and should thus be urgently repealed;notes
that the Human Rights Directorate and the Venice Commission of the Council ofEurope have already started assessing compliance of the laws with the principles of human rightsand fundamental freedoms, and expects conclusions and opinions on possible further steps to beprovided on 5 February 2014; urges Ukrainian public authorities to cooperate with respectiveinstitutions of the Council of Europe and to take their conclusions and opinions into account;