Editor’s Note: World in Ukraine takes a look at Ukraine’s bilateral relations with different nations. To sponsor this news feature, please contact the Kyiv Post’s sales team at [email protected] or call 591-7788. Meet Sweden's top diplomat in Ukraine: Stefan Gullgren
As Ukraine’s relationship with the European Union hits new depths, it will need all the friends it can get to repair the strains. One of the nation’s strongest allies within the EU has been Sweden, a Scandinavian nation of around nine million people that has been represented in Ukraine for the last three years by Ambassador Stefan Gullgren.
In an interview with the Kyiv Post, Gullgren talked about EU values and the upcoming football match between Ukraine and Sweden during the Euro 2012 football championship.
Kyiv Post: How did Ukraine change since your arrival as the ambassador three years ago and during the first two years in power of President Viktor Yanukovych?
Stefan Gullgren: We did have expectations after President Yanukovych and his government came to power. They presented a very ambitious reform program. That raised expectations in particular among the business community that there would be radical reforms [and] improvements. It’s fair to say that we haven’t really seen that happen, at least not yet. That could be because of the extent of the problems, it takes time to change. But also I think that the government itself is not satisfied with the speed that reforms are being implemented.
KP: How can Ukraine find a way to balance Russian interests in Ukraine and its aspirations to join the EU?
SG: I don’t think there is any necessary choice to be made for a country like Ukraine – either you become a member of European integration process or you have relations with countries which do not seek membership with the European Union. There will, of course, at some point have to be a choice made between either the European integration process or the integration process which is now in place in form of the [Russian-led] Customs Union, because a country cannot become a member of more than one customs union at a time.
The harbor in Stockholm, Sweden, with the National Museum in the background. (AFP)
KP: Some EU countries seem to be less supportive of Ukraine’s potential EU membership than others. Why is that?
SG: I don’t think that the difference is that big. We are bound by the European Union treaty which states that any European state has perspective, if it’s able and willing to become a member. I want to stress that this is not restricted to the economic area. The basis of the values [is] respect for human rights, individual freedoms, rule of law [and] democracy. If those do not form the basis of the society of the country which aspires to closer relations, it doesn’t really matter what you do with the economy.
KP: Are you concerned about recent reports of physical abuse of imprisoned former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko?
SG: Of course we are. We are concerned about the reports about her health situation, but not only that. Our position is well known. We think that this and other trials have created the impression of selective justice in Ukraine. That impression has unfortunately been strengthened over time. We have followed these trials very carefully. We have had members from our embassies present at most of the court proceedings.
KP: What feedback do you hear from Swedish businesses operating in Ukraine, since some businesses like furniture giant IKEA with Swedish roots failed to settle in Ukraine because of corruption here?
SG: Swedish companies have as a policy not to involve themselves with corruption. That’s a matter of principle. And they seem to be able to do that with some success, because we have a number of Swedish companies which are here, and I’ve seen most of them to be doing business well. They register profit, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. But they could probably expand and they would probably be able to invest much more if corruption and bureaucracy and uncertainty about property rights were not such a big problem as they are. IKEA has operations all over the world. They have something over 230 stores, including Russia. If they feel that one country is too difficult to work in at the moment, they of course will invest somewhere else.
KP: What are your expectations from the upcoming Sweden-Ukraine football match during Euro 2012?
SG: We are expecting somewhere between 20,000 and 25,000 Swedes to come to Ukraine, specifically to Kyiv. Accommodation is going to be a problem for them obviously. It’s going to be a memorable match because as I understand this is the first time that Sweden and Ukraine meet in a championship. I am likely to go. I am curious to see in which colors they are going to play, because both Sweden and Ukraine are blue and yellow, and that will have to be sorted out some way, but I hope they will be able to distinguish each other on the field.
Kyiv Post staff writer Maryna Irkliyenko can be reached at [email protected].
