The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada hopes year 2013 to be a turning point in relations between Ukraine and the European Union
21 January 2013, 17:17
During the meeting with the deputy of the European Parliament, Deputy Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade Pavel Zalevsky on Monday, Volodymyr Rybak expressed hopes for signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in 2013, as well as for deepened and comprehensive free trade zone.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada noted that today in Ukraine, for the first time since independence, all branches of power steadfastly and coordinately work on implementation of European aspirations of our State. “Ukraine will go to the European community,” he said stressing that Ukrainian citizens insist on implementation of European standards as regards to job security, remuneration, health sector and education.
Volodymyr Rybak informed also that the Verkhovna Rada has adopted the decision to elaborate single agreed draft resolution regarding Euro-integrational aspirations of Ukraine. For the parliamentary factions, he stressed, the issue of European integration as well as implementation of European standards in Ukraine is the top priority one.
In this context, the Chairman of the Parliament emphasized that the Ukrainian authority consistently works on fulfilling obligations of Ukraine before the European Council. He expressed his gratitude to the European parliamentarians for the support of Euro integrational aspirations of our State.
In his turn, P.Zalevsky stressed that a lot of deputies in the European Parliament support Ukraine on its way to eurointegration and implementation of reforms. “We are well aware that Ukrainian society understands and accepts European values – democracy, the rule of law, fight against corruption,” he said.
P.Zalevsky believes that cooperation between the Verkhovna Rada and the European Parliament should be developed both at the level of permanent committees on cooperation, and at the level of informal deputy unions.
Euro-parliamentarian stressed also the importance of quickest possible signing and ratification of Association Agreement, as well as deepening of comprehensive free trade zone and “filling it with concrete content” – development of respective measures for practical implementation of this important document.