Sweden's comprehensive support in holding domestic reforms is very important for Ukraine, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman told the press after the meeting with Speaker of the Sweden's Riksdag [the Parliament] Urban Ahlin on Monday.
Groysman said the Parties had reached an agreement "on Sweden's assistance in reformation of the Ukrainian Parliament." "We can add Swedish experience to the Memo on cooperation between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European Parliament and use its best elements to perfect transparency and openness," he said.
The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada also said the Parties discussed coordination of actions of the parliamentary delegations of our countries at the international parliamentary institutions. According to Groysman, Ukrainian and Swedish parliamentarians could "closely coordinate our position, in particular, on the Russia's aggression." "Sweden's position is fundamental and we are totally supported in our confidence that the Russian Federation must observe the Minsk agreements in full," he said. "Sweden is very principled and consistent in the issue of sanctions and supports Ukraine in cooperation with international organizations. The sanctions against Russia should be prolonged, which is obvious, until complete fulfillment of the Minsk agreements [by that party]," Groysman added.
The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada also said that Sweden and its Parliament supported Ukraine in introduction of visa-free regime with the European Union. According to Groysman, the Speaker of the Swedish Parliament and Swedish parliamentarians told their Ukrainian colleagues that "it was of a priority for them."
When asked by the journalists, Groysman called "particularly symbolic" his visit to the National Archives of Sweden, where the original of the first Constitution of the Ukrainian Cossack State of Hetman Pylyp Orlyk has been preserved. Groysman reminded that this year that historically important document celebrates its 300th anniversary. The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said the Constitution contained "fundamental democratic principles, territorial integrity of Ukraine, even the principles of fight against corruption — I mean lots of aspects, which are very challenging for Ukraine today, inter alia the decentralization of power."
At that Groysman noted that the amendments to the Basic Law touching the decentralization are aimed at handing over the power to the people at the local level. "I believe there'll be the time, when the current constitutional amendments will become a historical document, which once allowed free and democratic development of the civil society on the basis of strong and effective local self-government."
Speaking about the "Future city" in Stockholm, Groysman noted that such an approach to people's life organization was very important for Ukraine. "The key priority: the cities are created for the people. People have to feel comfortable in their cities," he said.
According to Groysman, the technologies used in the "Future city" are "the complex vision of the development of comfortable life." "This is a challenge for all Ukrainian cities. I'd like the cities to elaborate development strategies, to be integrated. I'd like everything we do was done with the use of brand new technologies," he said. He added that the said approach would allow the people to save money and the state to raise the level of administrative services.
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A video copy of the meeting between Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman and Speaker of the Sweden's Riksdag Urban Ahlin, visits to the National Archives of Sweden and "Future city" in Stockholm is available on:
ftp://217.20.163.135
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