EU member states could raise stakes amid accession talks, Ukraine Vice PM warns
She expressed the opinion on the air of the national telethon, Ukrinform reports.
"The decision on Ukraine will determine the ambition of the decision on the rest of the countries regarding enlargement. Each of the EU countries will raise stakes and bargain for their own interest. Hungary is no exception in this regard. We would like to point out two things. First, the European Commission confirmed that the protection of national minority rights is ensured to the level that corresponds to that in the EU member states and the Copenhagen criteria. For our part, we have given the Hungarian side a road map with our proposals on how we plan to proceed. We are awaiting a response, but we have restrained optimism due to the fact that the president of Hungary was in Ukraine after all, and there was a visit of Ukrainians to Budapest. We have a dialogue and hope that real progress and political statements will not differ," said Stefanishyna.
According to the official, Ukraine is now actively moving toward EU membership. For example, there is progress in anti-corruption work. The Verkhovna Rada is already considering a number of draft laws to this end. For example, the draft laws on the National Anti-corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office. There is already a conclusion of the European Commission regarding legislation on lobbying. "This process will be permanent. There will be decisions in December, in January, and in February, but now is an important political decision," the deputy prime minister is convinced.
When asked if it could happen so that there will be no political decision from the European Council in December, she said: "It is impossible. Of course, we have certain reservations, fears, certain negative public statements, for example, by Polish colleagues and Hungarian colleagues. We don't know where else criticism can come from, but we were in a much more difficult situation when we were fighting for candidate status."
Stefanishyna believes that next month Ukraine will live a very active political life and that a positive result should be expected.
As reported by Ukrinform, the European Commission published its annual report on EU enlargement, in which it recommended that the European Council open negotiations on enlargement with Ukraine and Moldova.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine welcomed the decision of the European Commission, noting that today the history of Ukraine and the whole of Europe has taken the right step.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal officially received from the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Maternova, the European Commission report on Ukraine within the framework of the EU enlargement package.
