Ukraine set to consider EU application

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 28/04/05

Ukraine will consider applying for EU membership this autumn, according to the country's deputy prime minister.

Oleg Rybachuk, minister for European integration, said that after new reforms were implemented this Summer, the Ukrainian government would assess the country's readiness to hand in a membership application during the UK presidency beginning in July.

"We hope at the summit between President [Viktor] Yushchenko and the UK prime minister which will take place some time in the Autumn we will have enough results to raise the issue of what is next," he told European Voice.

Rybachuk said that his government was determined rapidly to implement the EU-Ukraine neighbourhood action plan agreed in February and move towards full membership.

But the accord, negotiated by the previous Ukrainian government, is seen as unambitious by many in the current administration in Kiev, which swept to power following last year's 'orange revolution'. Despite the EU's decision to introduce more incentives after the elections, the Ukrainian government appears unmoved.

"We will never agree to this neighbourhood status as indefinite. It goes against our strategy, against our priorities and against public opinion…the next programme we will agree to sign should have a clear Euro-perspective for us," Rybachuk said.

"We understand that in order to be a member of this club we have to meet certain criteria and we are prepared to do so. I hope that by the Autumn we will have the ability to evaluate ourselves, with what speed we are integrating, how we are able, as a team, as the EU-Ukraine authorities, to implement that plan."

Describing the aim of joining the Union as President Yushchenko's "life ambition", Rybachuk said: "We believe that it is the sacred right of every European nation to submit that application and Ukraine is not an exception, this is our natural right."

But with knife-edge votes on the EU constitution expected in France on 29 May and the Netherlands on 1 June, an application, he indicated, was unlikely to come before the Autumn.

"The application should be submitted at a time when Europeans are more relaxed about their internal issues. It is not only important that we feel confident that we can submit it, but that the Europeans are more or less comfortable.

"We understand that the effect of the constitution adoption is a sort of test for the Europeans themselves, to what extent they are unified on the European Union's future."

EU governments and public opinion seem reluctant to accept new members, following the accession of ten countries last year, with two more states expected to join in 2007 and Croatia to start accession talks.

Public opposition to the constitution in France and the Netherlands has been tied to the debate on social protection in Europe and enlargement, but Rybachuk denied it indicated opposition to Ukraine's EU bid.

"It has got nothing to do with us," he said. "58% of French are in favour of Ukraine's EU membership."

Criticising the EU's lack of strategy towards Ukraine, Rybachuk said that his government would press on regardless and would use public opinion to gain support for his country's membership bid.

"There may be no strategy but politicians are always responding to public opinion. So if Ukraine is meeting all the criteria and moving on the track we are going to make that known to the general public; anytime any politician comes to Ukraine, he will be forced to answer the question 'what the hell is wrong, why are you not giving us the chance?' That will be a headache, not for us, but for EU politicians to explain why Ukrainians are being discriminated [against]," he said.

Oleg Rybachuk, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Integration, said that after new reforms were implemented during summer 2005, his country's Government would assess Ukraine's readiness to hand in an application for EU membership during the UK Presidency beginning in July 2005.