In December the EU mission will provide the final report on a free visa regime: "I hope this report will be positive, and a decision to grant a free visa regime to Ukraine will not have a political component, but only a technical component", said Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Friday, September 4, following the meeting with the technical mission of the European Union on visa liberalization with Ukraine.
The Head of Government noted that recommendations are to be officially announced by the EU mission in a month: "This was the final mission this year, and therefore their report and recommendations are essential for Ukraine to be granted a visa-free regime".
Arseniy Yatsenyuk noted that the mission had considered three blocks of issues, among which is document security. The Prime Minister noted a substantial progress, and even real improvements in the aforesaid block.
According to him, the main objective is to ensure issuing of new ID cards instead of passports from January 1 of next year. For this purpose the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine envisages relevant funds in the draft State Budget of Ukraine to provide the citizens of Ukraine with new ID cards.
The second issue is border security, emphasized Arseniy Yatsenyuk: "I was pleasantly surprised with the comments aired by representatives of the European Union regarding control over the border and enhanced coordination in border security sector. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Border Service demonstrated significant progress and dramatic changes in the state of matters regarding border security".
He added to maintain proper border security today is a crucial issue and a challenge for the entire European Union, primarily through the situation with migration: "Hence, the fact that the mission of the European Union highly assessed the developments in border security sector is significant."
According to the Head of the Government, the EU Assessment Mission noted that by the end of year it proves necessary to strengthen coordination on the border between all security and law enforcement agencies - between the Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Border Service, the State Fiscal Service and other relevant agencies.
The third block of tasks the technical mission of the European Union paid peculiar attention to was an anti-corruption policy, stressed the Head of Government: "The Mission commended the adoption of both laws on the introduction of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and a directive of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine regarding the change of staff of the Commission to establish the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption".
"The Government has decided that the Commission must be honest and transparent. So, we have changed our representatives in the Competition Commission and agreed to have another voting procedure for all members of the Commission. Such a voting procedure is ensured by the Government, but exceptionally non-governmental organizations participate in that. This means that we will have a fully independent Commission on election of the National Anti-Corruption Agency members. The mission of the European Union has adopted this decision as a very important and highly appreciated it," highlighted Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
However, the Prime Minister stressed that "an issue of appointment of members to elect anti-corruption prosecutors raises concern of the European Union: “In the process of my communication with our European partners, this was the main task that needs an urgent action".
"The criterion set by our European partners is as follows: members of the Commission to elect anti-corruption prosecutors cannot be politicians, persons who are politically biased or those subjected to certain political influence or pressure. This applies to both members of the commission from the Parliament and members of the Commission who are appointed by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine", explained Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
The Prime Minister appealed to the MPs with a request in short time to make proposals regarding the appointment from the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine members of the Commission on the election of the anti-corruption prosecutor: "The core criterion is impartiality, the absence of political component, professionalism. It can be scholars, former judges, civil society members - people who have good reputation. It should only be those people who are trusted by society."
According to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the mission noted certain progress in the work of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, in the process of selection applicants to be cops, their training: "They (the technical EU mission - ed.) consider that the implementation of legislation on combating corruption corresponds to high standards and objectively it should be prolonged".
"In December the EU mission will provide the final report. I hope this report will be positive, and a decision to grant a free visa regime to Ukraine will not have a political component, but only a technical component. Naturally, a political component is present in each country. Especially, given the migration crisis which has now emerged in the European Union, this issue should be viewed from another angle. But we implement all the technical terms, and each week I, as the Prime Minister, summon a coordination meeting with the entire leadership of the Government and responsible agencies to ensure that Ukraine could achieve a visa-free regime", summed up Arseniy Yatsenyuk.