Introductory statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a session of the Government on September 17, 2014

YATSENYUK A.P.: Respected mass media representatives!

Our agenda contains several issues and I would like to start from one key point.

The Government of Ukraine is to adopt today a decision on approving of the Plan of Implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. We have set rather ambitious deadlines – by 2017 the agreement must be completely executed.

It is essential for us to adhere to the Agreement, to harmonize Ukrainian legislation with the European law, to prove that Ukraine complies with the regulations of the European Union, that we have carried out true European reforms, have made those changes called to make Ukraine a European state not in papers, but in reality. The faster we carry out these changes, the sooner the European Union see that we have actually executed the Agreement, the sooner we have a chance to apply for membership in the European Union and affirm: "We meet the criteria, we have signed the Agreement, we have implemented it. Pursuant to Article 49 of the Agreement, Ukraine can apply for membership in the European Union”.

Execution and adherence to the Agreement is of extreme significance for the Government.

As we promised, everything has been fulfilled. The political section was signed by the Prime Minister. The economic section was signed by the President. The Agreement was the previous day simultaneously ratified by the European Parliament and the Ukrainian Parliament. We clearly stated that the next day after ratification of the Agreement, the Government would take a decision on the implementation of the Agreement.

The European Union adopted a decision to grant an additional transition period to facilitate the Ukrainian economy on conditions of opening the market of the European Union for Ukrainian goods, and this, according to preliminary calculations, gives extra Eur 500 million of revenues for the Ukrainian economy per annum, while Ukraine preserves its market protected. Thus, a free trade regime with other neighbouring countries of east should remain as we have it today.

Regarding Russia. I have no single positive expectation. And we must be prepared to the situation when Russia imposes any trade restrictions. I want to publicly declare, once Russia imposes trade restrictions on Ukraine, we shall urgently, in the same day, react with a “mirror response”.

Concerning future of implementation of the Agreement, we have developed a mechanism. The mechanism was agreed with our European partners. And I’d like to thank, Mr. Jan [Tombinski – ed.], You for your personal contribution into that hard work we have done to prepare this plan of implementation, to design the mechanism; every ministry has Deputy Minister for European Integration whose responsibility includes execution of this agreement.

The Government established the Office for European Integration as a key coordinating body that should ensure the implementation of the Agreement. A new Parliament should appoint Vice-Prime Minister for European integration as, unfortunately, the incumbent Parliament is not ready to work in synergy with the Government and ensure execution of the Agreement.

Moreover, our European partners established a support group that engaged into work with our profile ministries and facilitates the technical implementation of the Agreement with the European Union.