Rukh’s Letter to the President of the European Parliament on EP’s Resolution
04 March 2010 year 17:30

First of all, let me thank You and all Members of the European Parliament for the resolution adopted on the 25^th of February 2010 on the situation in Ukraine in the light of its present complicated political situation. In this resolution the EP supported Ukraine’s course towards the European integration and, for the first time, stated that Ukraine as a European state that adheres to the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law, in accordance with the European legislation may apply for the EU membership.


Hon. Jerzy BUZEK
President of the European Parliament
 
Dear Mr. President,
 
First of all, let me thank You and all Members of the European Parliament for the resolution adopted on the 25^th of February 2010 on the situation in Ukraine in the light of its present complicated political situation. In this resolution the EP supported Ukraine’s course towards the European integration and, for the first time, stated that Ukraine as a European state that adheres to the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law, in accordance with the European legislation may apply for the EU membership.
I would like to note that the main provisions of the EP’s resolution, especially those concerning a non-visa regime and establishment of a deep and comprehensive free trade area correspond to Ukraine’s interests and are positively perceived in the Ukrainian society.
In the meantime, I cannot but draw Your attention to the article 20 of the resolution concerning the Decree of the outgoing President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko on awarding Stepan Bandera with a title of “The Hero of Ukraine”. It is quite understandable that our centuries-long and tragedies ridden history contains certain personalities and events, perception of which may differ in Ukraine, Poland and Russia. Nevertheless, Ukraine is a sovereign state that has the right for its own history and its independent interpretation, where an issue of state awards is a sovereign right of the President of Ukraine.
The labels of Bandera such as “a criminal” and “a traitor”, who collaborated with Nazi was totally invented by secret services of the criminal communist regime. How can we address such accusation to Stepan Bandera, who spent 4 years in Nazi Sachsenhausen concentration camp from August 1941 till December 1944, his two brothers were killed in Auschwitz death camp? The rest of Bandera’s family, his parents and sisters were killed, imprisoned or sentenced by the communist regime to terms in the Soviet labour camps. And Stepan Bandera was assassinated by agents of the Soviet secret service, KGB following the order of the USSR highest leadership in 1959.
For Ukrainians, Stepan Bandera is more than an inspirer and ideologist of the Ukrainian national-liberation revolution, as he became a true symbol of Ukraine’s national-liberation movement in the XX century. Therefore it wasn’t a coincidence that Stepan Bandera with a people’s support was ranked third among prominent Ukrainian state and political leaders, warriors, artists, scientists, sportsmen and religious leaders, in the national project “Great Ukrainians” in 2008.
The People’s Movement of Ukraine assumes that drafting the resolution’s article 20, the European Parliament, unfortunately, used biased information that led to such misunderstanding. Moreover, the newly elected President of Ukraine Victor Yanukovych, who stands far from ideas and principles of the European democracy, could adopt the EP’s position in order to justify his anti-Ukrainian action of cancelling the Presidential Decree on Stepan Bandera.
I am convinced that in future development of a position on Ukrainian history issues, the major bodies of the EU will take into account Ukraine’s vision of our history based on facts, historical documents and archives. The People’s Movement of Ukraine in its turn, as the oldest national-democratic political force in Ukraine and as a party that belongs to a political family of the most influential and largest political force in Europe – the European People’s Party, is committed to deliver the above-mentioned position of the national-democratic forces in Ukraine to the leadership of the European Parliament.
Availing myself of this opportunity let me ensure You in my highest respect.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Ambassador Borys TARASYUKPresident of the People’s Movement of Ukraine