Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU, took part in a discussion entitled «First and foremost – the fundamentals: the rule of law and anti-corruption policy as the basis for EU accession», which took place as part of the «4th Forum for the Exchange of Experience on EU Accession».
Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze noted that the basis for successful European integration is, of course, the rule of law and anti-corruption infrastructure, as well as the fundamental values that Ukrainians are courageously defending on the front lines. At the same time, unfortunately, these values are not always defended in government institutions. According to the Committee Chair, Ukraine currently has a unique window of opportunity to join the European Union, and this historic opportunity must be seized.
In order to successfully move forward on this path, Ukraine, according to Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, must learn from its mistakes and lessons. «Unfortunately, no conclusions were drawn from the attacks on anti-corruption bodies that took place in July this year. The situation was reversed in order to restore the independence of anti-corruption bodies, but Ukraine suffered losses,» the Committee Chair noted. At the same time, according to her, attacks on anti-corruption bodies continue. Also, the competition for positions in the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has not yet been resumed. «Therefore, we are not yet at the stage where lessons have been learned. We have undermined the trust of our partners. And the only thing that still helps us to stay on this path is the trust of our society,» stressed the Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU. According to her, there are three components that guarantee the successful preservation of reforms and democratic processes in Ukraine: control by civil society, close attention from international partners, and the active position of people within the authorities who support these reforms and fight for them.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze noted that she believes in Ukraine's European future and that is why she has been working on European and Euro-Atlantic integration for many years. «I have been on this path for many years, starting from the moment when it was just a dream. Therefore, I believe in Ukraine's European future. And this is not about chances, but about the responsibility of each of us to make it a reality,» said the Committee Chair.
