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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Kyiv Has Begun Thinking about Europe, Maybe It Also Should Do Something

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

President Kuchma has signed yet another edict. This time about Ukraine’s strategy of integration into the European Union. Foreign Minister Borys Tarasiuk stated after the first sitting of the Ukraine-EU Council that Ukraine not only seeks EU membership, but also knows how to achieve it.

This and the recent upsurge of integration activity — setting up the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in Yalta and Ukraine’s performance at the session of the Central European Initiative at Tito’s former residence — makes one wonder. Foreign Minister Tarasiuk managed to persuade the Ukrainian leadership, at least at an early stage, that joining Europe is not merely a strategic choice. It could be the only alternative.

Ever since integration was proclaimed a strategic objective in Ukraine’s foreign policy nothing has actually been done to achieve it. No European lobby was formed, not in Parliament, the Cabinet of Presidential Administration. No one has even attempted to redirect foreign trade from the Russian and CIS markets (which are getting narrower for Ukraine literally with each passing day) to the West and East, Europe, Asia, and Africa. As for legislation, nothing was done to make it even remotely resemble general European norms until recently when a relevant authority started being formed. Relations with the EBRD can hardly be described as good; the bank shows much more enthusiasm working with Russia.

Ukraine is accustomed to declarations. Likewise, the currently stated integration strategy is a declaration of intent, because it has no underpinnings such as headway in economic reforms or living standards, and no consensus among politicians, unlike Poland or Hungary.

Mr. Tarasiuk declared that there is no consensus among EU member states on whether to start negotiating Ukraine’s associate membership. And there is no consensus on the matter in Ukraine, either, in government or in Parliament.

It is completely obvious that sooner or later a conflict will arise over Ukraine’s integration into European structures and its participation in the CIS, although it is formally not a full member. It is also apparent that Tarasiuk’s energy and enthusiasm is not enough for his plans to be successful. Although the groundwork has been laid, it remains to wait and see whether anything more than declarations will come of all this.

 

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