Despite the euphoria emanating from Ukraine’s parliament following the ratification of the EU trade accord, some MPs expressed dissatisfaction that promised reforms will not be enacted until the end of next year.
“Now unfortunately not only have we created a precedent, with Russia obtaining de facto a veto power or at least some veto power on the sovereign foreign policy choice of Ukraine. But also we have delayed a large scale implementation of very much needed reforms,” said Hryhoriy Nemyria, a Fatherland party MP.
These were sentiments seemingly shared by some outside parliament. The head of one of Ukraine’s largest banks told euronews the country’s coffers need a boost sooner rather than later.
Peter Bobrinsky, Managing Director of Dragon Capital said: “Is the delay in the early implementation of the agreement just concerning the tariffs or does it concern the process of norms, the bringing up to the EU norms of the Ukrainian economy? If it is the latter then obviously that is an open ended question and that would be, in my view, detrimental to the Ukrainian efforts to get closer to the EU.”
Ukraine will continue to enjoy privileged access to the EU market until January but our Kyiv correspondent says there are genuine fears over the future.
“This delay could indeed give those who are against the association agreement the opportunity to push Ukraine back from its steps and bring it closer to another trade block, the Custom Union,” said Sergio Cantone.
