Based on their exchange of views on 27 and 28 October 2014 in Ljubljana, Andrej Hunko, Die Linke, member of the German Parliament, and Matej T. Vatovec, Združena levica (United Left) member of the Slovene parliament issue a:
Joint statement on the crisis in Ukraine
It is our joint assessment that the policies of NATO and EU on Ukraine in the past year or so have greatly contributed to destabilization of the country and have not helped the peace process after the beginning of the armed conflict. We therefore urge the governments of Slovenia and Germany to reassess the effects of actions taken by the EU and NATO and to change the course of action in order to secure peace and welfare of the Ukrainian people.
We firmly believe that the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement will not facilitate mutual cooperation on equal terms. Given the enormous inferiority of Ukrainian economy, witnessed by the development lag and current account deficit, it is clear, that association means subordination, especially because the treaty is not about removing trade barriers, but imposing neoliberal structural reforms to Ukraine. The experience of ex-Yugoslav republics at various stages of ‘integration’ demonstrates that such measures greatly contribute to deindustrialization, thereby reproducing large current account deficits and rising unemployment which are causing poverty and emigration. It is also evident that neoliberal policies measures have not helped to curb government deficits or public debts. It is our view that further implementation of such policies would not only further reduce the welfare of the Ukrainian people, but would threaten the very existence of Ukraine as a unified state.
We therefore welcome the delaying until 31 December 2015 of the provisional application of the trade part of the Agreement (DCFTA). At the same time, we state our firm intention that we shall vote against the ratification ratification of the Agreement in its present form.
We believe that the economic sanctions imposed by the EU and USA against the Russian federation and military aid to the Kiev government by the US and certain other NATO member states have not contributed to the peaceful solution of the crisis. Prolongation of the so-called ‘anti-terrorist’ operations by the Ukrainian Army and militia will only cause more suffering on both sides. Therefore, we urge our governments to abstain from all the actions that could be viewed as a support for such operations. We welcome the intention of the European council to reassess the impact of the measures adopted against the Russian federation. We demand that our governments opt for the lifting of economic sanctions against the Russian federation and expect them to finally help to improve humanitarian conditions.
We welcome the negotiations lead by the OSCE mission that resulted in a partial ceasefire and release of prisoners and hope that both sides will fulfil their obligations under the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum. We believe that substantial autonomy of the Lugansk and Doneck oblast and economic reconstruction of the Donbas region can secure long-term peace and integrity for Ukraine and a better life for its people. The EU should refrain from any actions that could jeopardize this process or create further tensions.