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  • Ukraine is now a leader in the EU membership negotiations and shares its experience in reforming the rule of law with other candidate countries
    Service of the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, posted 16 April 2024 19:33

    Today, Ukraine is a leader in the negotiations on EU membership and shares its experience in reforming the rule of law with other EU candidate countries. This was stated by Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, in her speech at the event "A Decade of Transformation Towards a Fair Future: Implementation of Anti-Corruption and Rule of Law Reforms in Ukraine with the Support of the EU" on 16 April.

    "It is very symbolic that right after our victory in the Revolution of Dignity, the war started. We talk a lot about the price we pay with our lives for this victory, which is now 10 years old. This is the victory that we have won, that we have engraved in our memory, in our blood, and that we will not give up at any cost. There is only one more victory left to win, which will ensure that "Ode to Joy" will be performed in every corner of Ukraine, from Sevastopol to Kyiv and Uzhhorod," said Olha Stefanishyna.

    She stressed that Ukraine continued moving rapidly on its European integration path and expressed hope that in June the country would receive a decision to approve the negotiation framework and hold the first intergovernmental conference.

    Besides, the Deputy Prime Minister noted the long path of reforms that Ukraine had been on over the past 10 years, including since the beginning of the full-scale war.

    "In 2014, we had to take, as we now understand it, fairly simple and clear steps. We had to create something that did not exist, establish anti-corruption bodies, adopt anti-corruption legislation, and approve a strategy. Today, these things look like simple tasks, but back then, they were historic changes. Let's not forget that all our enormous efforts, the achievements we have today, have brought us to the starting point. The beginning of negotiations. And I am extremely proud that Ukraine is now a leader in the membership negotiations, and we share our experience in the area of rule of law reforms with other candidate countries," she stressed.

    According to Olha Stefanishyna, now that Ukraine is preparing for direct negotiations on EU accession, it has clear achievements that allow it to feel confident. For example, Ukraine is a functioning democracy with a developed civil society, functioning democratic institutions, free elections and free expression of citizens' will.

    "We are taking difficult decisions because we understand that we are united by a greater goal, but this is only the beginning. Starting in June, as part of the upcoming negotiation process, we will have to define a strategy for establishing the rule of law in our country, with the understanding that simple decisions have already been made, institutions have been created, are functioning, and they have trust of people. The leaders were elected in a transparent manner. Now these institutions must be effective. Now, everything we have gained over these 10 years must work and develop," the official stressed.

    She expressed her gratitude to all Ukrainian colleagues for their work, thanks to which the country has gone through these 10 years of transformations and continues to move forward on its European integration track.

    "This is an extremely difficult path, it is thorny, we have misunderstandings. We hear criticism. But we always find solutions for the sake of a greater goal. I thank all my Ukrainian colleagues for being here and our European partners for not letting us forget what we are fighting for," Olha Stefanishyna said.

    The event was also attended by the Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova.