GUE/NGL Vice-President Neoklis Sylikiotis today denounced in the strongest possible terms the banning of the Communist Party of Ukraine by the Kiev District Administrative Court on Wednesday this week.

Neoklis Sylikiotis said: “This is yet another setback for the forces of the left in Ukraine and a totally undemocratic political move by the reactionary and ultra-conservative government in that country..”

It follows a move in May 2015 when the Ukrainian Parliament passed legislation prohibiting and making the use of communist symbols punishable by law.

MEP Sylikiotis continued: “These attacks against freedom of expression and now the freedom of a democratic political party to even exist are unacceptable and have as their goal the consolidation of the pro-Western and anti-democratic regime,  instigated and supported openly by circles in the US, EU and NATO.

“I call on the institutions of the European Union as well as other democratic European and international bodies to take a firm stand and to strongly condemn this serious attack against democracy.
 
 
GUE/NGL Press Contact:
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20