Dmytro Kuleba: Kharkiv region can serve as an example of European integration for other regions

European integration is not about eloquent slogans, but about high-quality roads, accessible loans, effective governance, respect for human rights and a better standard of living of citizens, and two components of its successes are values and money.

This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba at a meeting on European integration with the leadership of Kharkiv region held on Thursday, February 13.

The Deputy Prime Minister is assured that the Kharkiv region has ambitious leadership and every opportunity for its residents to feel the benefits of Ukraine's integration to the European Union.

“European integration has been an abstract idea and a slogan for a long time. However, it encapsulates two things: values and money. Values set our mindset on a proper understanding of the reality and vision of the country we want to live in - a normal democratic country with respect for human rights. And money allows to put these values into effect”,  Dmytro Kuleba said.

The meeting was also attended by the Head of  Kharkiv Regional State Administration Oleksiy Kucher and the leadership of the administration, the Head of the Kharkiv Regional Council Serhii Chernov, heads of the district administrations and consolidated communities of Kharkiv region, and MPs.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Ukraine is now implementing its major historic project, "Europe" and in this regard values and resources are equally important: “If there are no values, there will be no resources. But in the absence of resources, values will remain an abstraction. ”

Dmytro Kuleba noted that rapprochement with the EU is aimed at very practical things: construction of high-quality roads according to EU standards, attraction of European funds, safe and high-quality products for people, for business – hassle-free crossing of customs without collection of alms and queues, available loans for development, a stable financial system, and more.

Dmytro Kuleba recalled that the extension of Metro Line III in Kharkiv became possible to unblocking of EUR 470 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), which Ukraine could lose last year due to unacceptable mismanagement of the authorities to solve procedural issues.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the EBRD and the EIB stand ready to implement more investment projects in Ukraine in proportion to increasing confidence in our country.

He also spoke about the priorities in the field of European integration, which the Government of Ukraine and all authorities are currently working on, in particular, emphasized the priority of negotiations with the EU on the conclusion of the so-called industrial visa-free regime.