Today, our partners have got some additional questions to Ukraine. But I am convinced that after Parliamentary elections all the cautions will vanish and the way to EU-Ukraine Association will be successfully passed. Viktor Yanukovych 9/14/2012
The President's statement on the EU-Ukraine Association did not stand the test of time. Activities of the new parliament during the first six month have proved that the government is purposefully obstructing to European Integration of Ukraine. The last example is dismissed sitting of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada on European Integration on April 10, due to the absence of quorum. 9 of 16 MPs of Ukraine have ignored the meeting with the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine and British ambassador, which have gathered to discuss the ways to informing the public about benefits of signing an association agreement. Most of MPs which were absent are representatives of the party in power. MPs Viktor Tykhonov, Mykola Dmytruk, and Viacheslav Zadorozhnii have informed the Head of the Committee that they will work in districts during negotiations with the EU representatives, what contradicts to the working plan of the Verkhovna Rada. Yuliia Lovochkina from the Party of Regions and non-faction MP Viktor Baloha didn't explain their absence at all.
According to the Head of the Committee Hryhorii Nemyria, representatives of the Party of Regions have already committed sabotage before. Due to the absence of quorum, two of three sitting in March and one in April were not conducted. The Committee has more than 100 unconsidered draft laws regarding consistency of Ukrainian legislation with laws of the European Union. At the same time, EU representatives are waiting for the certain move from Ukraine. Thus, according to the British ambassador to Ukraine Simon Smith, the government should focus more on providing information about advantages of the EU integration to the public.
— The Association Agreement will bring a lot of advantages to Ukraine – says Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Ukraine. — Therefore, it's necessary to focus on improving the environmental protection, creating favorable investment climate and new possibilities for Ukrainian companies, establishing new judicial system which can be trusted by the people, but not on some general issues.
According to the Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Jan Tombinski, the Committee on European Integration is supposed to play the leading role in this process. However, the sabotage of the Committee by members of the party in power will not facilitate the EU-Ukraine Association.