October 1, 2007

Having taken note of the preliminary findings and conclusions of the International election Observation Mission for the 30^th September pre-term parliamentary elections in Ukraine, the Presidency welcomes the fact that the elections were conducted mostly in line with international commitments and standards for democratic elections confirming an open and competitive environment for the conduct of election processes.

However, the Presidency notes the concerns identified by the International Election Observation Mission, including the poor quality of voter lists and underlines the need to further strengthen the electoral and constitutional framework in order to consolidate the democratic process in Ukraine.

The Presidency of the EU calls upon all parties to respect the results of the elections and act in accordance with democratic norms. The Presidency urges parties to engage in constructive talks in order to establish swiftly a government and ensure the necessary political stability for Ukraine. The Presidency stresses the need to establish a viable constitutional system, enabling the country to move forward with political and economic reforms, based on the respect of the principles of democracy, rule of law, human rights and market economy.

The EU stands ready to assist Ukraine in these efforts and looks forward to working with the new government.