A. Yatseniuk signed package of decisions on liberalization of visa regime for Ukraine

There was held an extended meeting of members of the Government of Ukraine with the delegation of the European Commission on Wednesday, March 26. During the meeting, Prime Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk signed a package of decisions necessary for the implementation of the Action Plan on the liberalization of visa regime with the EU.

The Prime Minister addressed the audience at the meeting with the European Commission, in particular the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule and EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and the Budget Janusz Lewandowski. We hope that our European partners after the final implementation of these decisions will accelerate process of introducing a visa-free regime between Ukraine and the EU. This is what the Ukrainians need. And it will be another major step that demonstrates our collaboration," he said.

Arsenii Yatseniuk stressed that with these decisions we would have the opportunity "in the shortest term, together with our European partners to complete the transition to a visa-free regime."

He said that one of the signed documents is a draft law on refugees and persons in need of additional or temporary protection. "Please provide emergency sending and it passage in the Ukrainian parliament," the Prime Minister added.

Another document is a Cabinet’s decision on registration, issuance, replacement, removal and return to the state of destroyed refugee's travel document.

He also showed a sample of approved form of a passport of the citizen of Ukraine with biometric data. Arsenii Yatseniuk said that the government plans to start issuing biometric passports during the current year. "The cost of the passport will be in half less then it today sells by the private company."

In addition, the Prime Minister signed draft laws on amendments to some laws of Ukraine on equal rights and opportunities for women and men, as well as on the social protection of homeless people and street children. These bills, he said, were worked out with European partners.

The Prime Minister also said that energy issues, combating corruption, macroeconomic stabilization, justice and transport system reform will be discussed with the delegation of the European Commission. "This is what Ukraine needs today; the Ukrainian Government is aimed at and for what we get technical and financial assistance from European partners."