European Commission to publish recommendations on candidate status for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia / Article

The European Commission will publish recommendations on candidate status for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia

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Ukraine’s salvation from Russia

The issue of Ukraine’s rapprochement with the EU has a very long history in Ukraine. Just eight years ago, the bloody events of the Maidan in Kiev were also directly linked to the desire to be closer to Europe and the refusal of the then Ukrainian leadership to sign an association agreement with the EU. During these eight years, Ukraine continued to take a slow pace on its European course until the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the second half of February. The status of an EU candidate country is now demanded not only as a future perspective, but also as a concrete escape from Russian influence.

During his visit to Ukraine last weekend, EC President Urzula von der Leiena acknowledged that Ukraine has already established itself as a stable, democratic country that has implemented decentralization of power and has also demonstrated its ability to operate in times of war. Von der Leiena acknowledged that much remains to be done

“We are seeing a very digital country and it is helping during this war. This is a country with which we have an association agreement and a comprehensive free trade agreement, and the European Union’s agenda is being applied very actively. We understand, and you acknowledge that There is, of course, a great deal to be done now, and we must be ready to help end this war, but we also need to look further at the reconstruction of the country and what needs to be done next.

You have strengthened the rule of law, but reforms are needed to fight corruption and improve the business environment in order to attract investors.

The necessary institutions have been set up for all this, and what has been done so far is already paying off. Now we just have to wait for the results, “said the President of the European Commission.

According to Ukraine’s Ambassador to the EU Vsevolod Chestnov, the status of a candidate country would not only give direction to the country’s further development in the medium and long term, but also increase the motivation of the population and strengthen the spirit of the soldiers. At the same time, he rejected the criticism of several European countries about insufficient reforms in Ukraine.

“I would like to call on these countries to look honestly at Ukraine and at the situation of those countries that became candidates or members in the 1990s or later. What has been their development, what has their judicial system or their anti-corruption system been? more developed than its countries 20 years ago, “Chestnov said.

One of the countries that has expressed the most dissatisfaction is Denmark, which believes that Ukraine’s democratic institutions are underdeveloped, that the human rights situation may be better and that it may also want better results in terms of the protection of minorities. The Netherlands shares this view. French President Emmanuel Macron also spoke about a possible other format for cooperation between Ukraine and the EU.

It is unclear whether there will be any preconditions

Due to the war in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia may be left in the background, who also took the opportunity to apply for candidate status. At one point, there was even a sharp exchange of words between Ukraine and Georgia about whether Tbilisi deserves to be in this club at all, given its rather pro-Russian leadership. However, the latest information suggests that all three countries could still be granted candidate status – it is not yet known whether any preconditions will be met.

However, one view is quite similar on both the potential candidate side and the EU side. A long and difficult process of convergence is expected, which is likely to take years. Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey already have this status in 1999.

That is why one of the questions that EU leaders may have to discuss next week is how to prevent the candidate status from continuing for so many years.

According to Sofia In ‘t Velda, MEP from the Netherlands, the accession process should probably be divided into several stages in the future.

“The first phase would be when several chapters of the negotiations have been concluded – then the country could have the right to vote on certain issues or observer status in the European Parliament. In the next phase, they could have the right to vote. Such a gradual approach and remuneration Member of the European Parliament.

For the time being, it seems that the countries will not be expected to become full members of the EU any time soon. Some experts predict that this could happen in about 8-10 years, others are more cautious and predict double-digit figures.

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