Brussels, 12/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - Back in Ukraine after the first 100 days of Volodymyr Groïsman's government, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn took stock of the situation and announced that the EU would continue its support to Ukraine.
“In the coming days the EU will adopt an essential support programme for anti-corruption initiatives in Ukraine. It will provide assistance to all the stakeholders involved - the new [anti-corruption] agency, the parliament, civil society and the media”, Hahn said at a press conference, adding that the amount of the programme would be around €50 million. He also said that the first disbursement would take place before the end of the year (EUROPE 11435) and that the support programme for police and justice reforms could also be adopted before the end of 2016.
In addition Hahn said he was confident that a final decision on visa liberalisation for Ukrainians could be made “in early autumn”. “It should be possible to have a decision in October at the latest”, he added.
Although he underlined the “good progress” made by the authorities on reforms, Hahn said there could still be an improvement in cooperation and support as regards the initiatives presented by the president, the government and the parliament. He wanted parliamentarians to stay committed to achieving the reform agenda and to refrain from any temptation to organise snap elections. “The government must be able to count on the political support of the Rada”, Hahn said, stating that while the government benefitted on paper from a large majority within the parliament, in practice the bloc was divided and should be more united.
Hahn also said that it was important for the measures approved to be implemented effectively in order “to present a sort of balance sheet so as to really show the difference with the past”. He again said that the priorities focused on anti-corruption, justice, the public administration, court cases and the application of the law, trade and energy.
Elsewhere, a Ukrainian source told EUROPE that Groïsman is to visit Brussels on 19 July. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)