Germany warns Ukraine on controversial law

Berlin - The German government on Friday (16 January) said a controversial Ukraine law banning pro-EU protests would have "consequences" for the EU's relations with the county.

Chancellor Angela Merkel i's spokesman Steffen Seibert said the recently-adopted law, which bans protests and introduces the "concept of foreign agent" into criminal law, will make life difficult for opposition activists and non-governmental organisations.

"The German government expresses its great concern about this law which marks a turn-around from European values," Seibert said.

He spoke of "disappointment for Ukrainian citizens and the EU" and warned that this "will have consequences on EU-Ukrainian relations."

Pressed to be more concrete, Seibert said he did not want to preclude EU foreign ministers' talks on Monday on the matter.

But another German official later told this website it would not be about sanctions of the kind the US are envisaging, but rather a freeze in ongoing EU-Ukrainian talks - for instance on trade or visa liberalisation.

The message Berlin wants to give to Kiev is that its actions will have repercussions, especially if opposition activists are thrown in jail following the adoption of this law.

German diplomats were hoping a tough stance would make President Viktor Yanukovich think twice before signing the bill into law.

But according to Ukrainian media, Yanukovich already signed it on Friday.

The law is aimed at deterring the thousands of Ukrainians who still gather in the centre of Kiev demanding Yanukovich's resignation after he refused to sign an EU trade and association pact and opted for a deal with Russia instead.

Under the new rules, people can be sentenced to up to 10 years in jail for blocking access to government buildings. Harsh fines can be imposed on unauthorised protesters.

Germany's message on Friday was echoed by Sweden's foreign minister Carl Bildt, who said "there can be no business as usual with Kiev."

EU neighbourhood policy commissioner Stefan Fuele expressed "profound concern" about the new law "contradicting Ukraine’s European aspirations and commitments."