Development & Aid, Europe, Headlines

POLITICS: Ukraine En Route to EU

Stefania Bianchi

BRUSSELS, Mar 15 2005 (IPS) - The European Union is a “critical institutional anchor” for Ukraine as the country attempts reform under President Viktor Yushchenko, says a leading United Nations official.

“It is important that Ukraine has very positive dynamics by which the vision of EU accession anchors good policies and reforms,” Kalman Mizsei, assistant administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States told IPS in an interview.

“I hope that in a couple of years time that these positive dynamics will ripen the situation towards thinking further,” added Mizsei, who is in Brussels to discuss Ukraine’s reform process with European Union (EU) officials.

Since the “orange revolution” that brought Yushchenko to power in December, the president has been sending clear signals to the EU that Ukraine’s long-term aim is full EU membership.

On a visit to Germany earlier this month Yushchenko again stressed his intentions for Ukraine’s membership to the EU.

Speaking to the German newspaper Deutsche Welle, Yushchenko said he hopes to turn Ukraine into a more prosperous and democratic nation, and said the EU could play a pivotal role in this.

“I have no problem talking about Ukraine’s EU ambitions. We’re not following a fashion. Nor are we engaging in political adventurism. But we clearly say that we want to go where economic and social standards are highest and democracy is not a hollow phrase,” he said. “Our people fully understand that we’ve got a long way ahead of us to achieve such standards at home, but we’re poised to get going.”

Yushchenko also announced at the end of last week that Kiev would introduce a visa-free regime for the EU, adding that in return he would like “comprehension” on the part of the EU.

However, the EU has repeatedly said it is too early to talk about membership of Ukraine to the bloc, and for now the European Neighbourhood Policy remains the framework for EU relations with Kiev.

The EU and Ukraine also signed a three-year Ukraine action plan in February to govern bilateral ties.

The plan sets out the main areas of reform the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, says Ukraine needs to implement in order to meet EU standards. These areas range from democratic safeguards to steel import quotas and a relaxed visa regime.

Mizsei says such a plan fits in with recommendations made by the UNDP’s Blue Ribbon Commission report which he led last year.

“The three-year action plan fits in very well with our own recommendations. In our report we saw the EU as the critical institutional anchor for Ukraine and this action plan is the first significant step in that direction,” he said.

Mizsei set up the Blue Ribbon Commission for Ukraine last summer to draft a reform programme for the country. The commission aims to achieve “rapid and sustainable economic growth” throughout the country and to raise the standard of living of the Ukrainian population.

The report also urges the new leadership to push ultimately for membership of the EU.

Mizsei says while Ukraine has a number of reforms to achieve before it can be considered as EU candidate, the bloc also has a large part to play.

“For the European Union it is very critical to provide very intensive technical assistance and support for Ukraine,” he said. “It should also open up on a people-to-people level and engage in projects such as training programmes. The EU should support Ukraine’s bid to join the WTO, and after Ukraine’s entrance into the WTO, start working on a free trade agreement.”

“These are very good ways for the bloc to engage with Ukraine than so far has been the case. There is no harm for membership talks to come later,” he added.

Mizei says that Ukraine should look to its neighbours who recently joined the EU as an example.

“The accession of these countries to the EU last year was one of the greatest achievements of the decade. There has been a fantastic turnaround in those countries’ social and economic policies and a mind-boggling explosion of positive energies. This can be a source of inspiration and learning for Ukraine,” he said.

Mizsei, who is now part of a 19-strong advisory board to Yushchenko, insists that the president should follow the five priority areas for reform as set out by the Blue Ribbon Commission as a road to EU accession.

These recommendations include improving the relationship between state and citizens, improving living conditions, reforming the tax system and the legal base of the financial system, facilitating Ukraine’s membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and drawing a “clear line” between state and private enterprise.

The Ukrainian state is known to be pervasively corrupt and only a few privileged businessmen and bureaucrats benefit.

The future Ukrainian political system and the country’s economic prosperity are considered crucial to Europe’s stability as the country of 47 million people is bigger in land mass than Germany and Britain combined.