June 2 at the Black State University Peter Mogyla held a round table discussion on «Ukraine and the EU: from
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partnership to the association.» The event was jointly organized by the International Renaissance Foundation, CSU them. Peter Mogyla and the Fund to Development of the Nikolayev city (FDN).
Invited experts — Europe Program Director of the International Renaissance Foundation, Irina Solonenko, an independent expert from Poland, Grzegorz Gromadski, represents the foundation of the Science and Policy (Germany), Susan Stewart, a representative of the Institute of Euro-Atlantic Cooperation (Ukraine), Oleksandr Sushko, and essayist of the journal Critique Nikolai Ryabchuk — unanimously declared that we are witnessing the process of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
Very detailed and interesting to describe the vicissitudes of their performances Alexander Vlaschenko (Internet edition of The News-N», http://novosti-n.mk.ua/news/read/?id=31146): In addition to the standard questions: what is the» European values, or that would give us the «European choice»? — The discussion had to endure, and far more interesting questions: what to do — first to build, relatively speaking, Europe in Ukraine and then to think about joining the EU, or soon to join the EU in the hope that European values will come to us themselves.
In his opening remarks, the Rector of CSU. Peter Graves Leonid Klimenko said that for many years in Ukraine, there is a debate which way to go — either together with Russia to join the Customs Union, or to move towards Europe and European Union. Ukraine has not been able to «find themselves»: first, content to its multi-vector, and then was declared a purely pro-European policy. «Pendulum» periodically deflected in the direction of Russia. Now the major political figures of the state once again began to talk about what our priorities are — in Europe.
Meanwhile, convinced that sooner or later Ukraine is gradually coming to Europe sooner or later, did become a member of the European Union, expressed all the roundtable participants.
And witness the process of accession to the EU population of Ukraine is now — it signaled the audience representative of the International Renaissance Foundation, Irina Solonenko.
Last year, Ukraine and the EU signed an action plan to liberalize the visa (citizens of Ukraine will be able to move freely around Europe, that in itself means Ukraine’s rapprochement with Europe). Not far off — the signing of an Association Agreement with the EU in Ukraine, which is not so long ago during a visit to Nikolaev said and the head of the EC Delegation to Ukraine Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira.
— We expect that by the end of this year will be announced on completion of these negotiations — said I. Solonenko — In our opinion, this is an important strategic document, which displays the relationship between Ukraine and the EU to another level. This document is a transformational nature take on a momentum for Ukraine because it would regulate the changes in Ukraine in all spheres — from the political, judicial system, ending with the sanitary standards, technical and regulatory standards.
Of course, even some years ago about such prospects, no one had thought. Irina Solonenko remembered roundtables that were held in 2004:
— Then on European integration, said as geopolitics, about foreign policy. Now the European integration — it is the measurement of internal policy, — she said — the position of Ukraine towards the European Union will depend on what processes will take place in Ukraine and will Ukraine to implement domestic reforms. It is very important for Ukraine to demonstrate political commitment to European integration, not in words but in deeds.
The conviction that integration into Europe depends not only on the fact of joining or not joining the EU, but also from internal changes in the state, expressed by the head of the Board of the city of Nikolayev Mikhail Zolotukhin. He is convinced that relations with the EU must move out of the plane into the plane of pragmatic romantic. And, speaking of «joining Europe», we should not get hung up on global issues — the need to think about what the benefit of EU membership will bring a particular city or area, as well as that needed by the city or region to make this gains were substantial. Then we can talk about integration in the full sense of the word.
That pragmatic approach Mikhail Zolotukhin provoked a sharp debate with an independent political analyst Nikolai Ryabchuk that «in two words,» formulated the essence of the question: «Ukraine will sooner or later become a colony of Russia or Europe, here are just a European colony to another win.» Immediately thought again, a political analyst said on thin matter of tolerance, ambivalence, etc. But a bad feeling in the hearts of listeners still remained.
And only talk about concrete cooperative actions of the government, the public and businesses, which told the chairman of the board FRGN, returned to communicate in a constructive direction: Mikhail Zolotukhin brought the audience information about the implementation of the «electronic city of Nikolaev, on reforming housing and communal services, the youth programs that are already the first year, not in words but in fact help people Nikolaeva realize their creative and innovative potential.
Students, graduate students and professors of universities Nicholas immediately told about his achievements and the problems started asking questions.
The independent expert from Poland, Grzegorz Gromadski noted that mistakenly think that would make the EU — a «status quo». According to him, the EU is changing rapidly and seriously. In the early 90’s in the European Union consisted of 12 countries, it was named «European Economic Community.» Then the number of member countries increased to 15. Today EU member states is 27 states.
For Ukraine, the EU has already become a neighbor, so that Ukraine needs new principles of relations with the EU. As the European Union has adopted many of the country and its borders have changed dramatically and there are all new and new neighbors (among current neighbors — already the North African countries), the EU made a reassessment of the principles of the neighborhood. Recently, by the way, the European Commission unveiled its vision of reform of the European Neighbourhood Policy — how the EU will develop its relations with its neighbors in the coming years.
Action plan for liberalizing the visa regime, which Ukraine received in 2010, says G. Gromadski big breakthrough for our country.
— I deal with these issues for many years. And I want to say that this is just a revolution — for many years was simply not possible that the countries of Eastern Europe have received such a document. This marks the beginning of negotiations on the elimination of the visa regime — said Mr. Gromadski.
Polish analyst, believes that Ukraine’s accession to the EU — an issue not even decades, and a few years.
For Ukraine, the main thing now to decide what she wants to be in relation to the EU — a neighbor, partner or family member. According to Grzegorz Gromadski, Ukraine is not just a neighbor and partner. And to join the «European family», not only need the political will of the Ukrainian elite, but also reforms that would make Ukraine a European country in all spheres.
— If the country is being reformed, the EU can not abandon this country’s gradual integration into the European community — he said.
The European Union decides if he will vote for all members of the European Union. If any country is against, the decision will not be accepted. Such a consensus is very difficult to come (especially if the question is painful). But in this respect, we can learn from the European Union now.
— God grant that we have lived up to that level of democracy and tolerance — unanimously declared the organizers and participants of the event
Press office of the Fund to Development of the Nikolayev city
The report used material online edition of the «Новости-N»: http://novosti-n.mk.ua/news/read/?id=31146
Рус.: http://frgn.mk.ua/?page_id=1690
