Visiting Portugal for Experience
Portugal’s experience, especially in terms of EU membership, could be useful for Ukraine. This, in any case, is the key idea of the Ukrainian President’s three day visit to that country, accompanied by a number of officials.
Leonid Kuchma stressed that he liked what his Portuguese counterpart had to say on his country’s experience in joining the European Union: before its admission every effort was focused on solving domestic problems. The Ukrainian President repeatedly pointed out that in many respects Portugal understands Ukraine better than any other EU country, primarily because it became a member of the Union comparatively recently, in 1986. At a news conference jointly with Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio, Mr. Kuchma also noted that Portugal has always consistently supported Ukraine’s aspiration for EU membership and that he is very thankful for this.
Simultaneously, behind the Portuguese leader’s eloquence addressed to Ukraine lay a number of bilateral problems that both countries are apparently able to finally solve, provided of course both want to. The Portuguese leader visited Ukraine in 1998, although bilateral contacts did not register any increased activity after. This year’s commodity turnover amounts to $15 million. Compared to what is possible, this is a token amount.
Illegal migration, an extremely pressing issue throughout Europe, cannot but concern Portugal as a full- fledged member of the European Union. Ukraine is known to be a major route for such illegal passage from Asia — and from elsewhere, it appears. There are some 20,000 Ukrainians working in Portugal, most illegally. UNIAN reports that the Ukrainian President said a protocol is being prepared to be signed, concerning Ukrainian workers in Portugal. Actually, the document is intended to legalize the stay of those 20,000 Ukrainians.
The issue remains open with theUkrainian Embassy in Lisbon, which has been put off for reasons best known to the Ukrainian side. For the time being, its functions are discharged by the Ukrainian Embassy in France (until recently Ukraine was represented in Portugal by current Foreign Minister Anatoly Zlenko).
The three documents signed during President Kuchma’s visit could well enhance Ukrainian- Portuguese cooperation. Hopefully, the agreement on the facilitation and mutual protection of investment will improve economic contacts and President Jorge Sampaio’s words about Portugal supporting reform in Ukraine will not be just words.
