With a grand event in the capital on Sept.10, the European Union launched an information campaign in Ukraine to explain the benefits of an association for the public. Ukraine and the EU are hoping to sign an Association Agreement on Nov. 27 at a summit in Vilnius, but Ukraine first needs to meet many conditions.
“Stronger
together, the motto of campaign, should be considered as an
encouragement and an invitation,” said Jan Tombinski, the EU
ambassador to Ukraine.
The
agreement, itself 1,000 pages long, would
provide for an unprecedented closeness between Ukraine and the
EU and new opportunities for the economy through a
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement that
is part of the deal.
“The
Association
Agreement is just a framework for a development strategy,” said
Tombinski. He said
the agreement would
set conditions for free economic activity of businesses and
individuals, better
self-government
and
greater attention to the needs of citizens.
In
the course of the information campaign, which will be conducted by
the EU’s mission in Kyiv, as well as by individual
countries in the 28-member association, events are planned
throughout the end of fall and will reach many communities across and
outside of Ukraine.
Events
range from seminars such as the one planned
by the British Embassy in Chernihiv on Oct. 4 to a dance flash mob in
Ternopil “Step to Europe” later that aims to hit the Guinness
Book of Records. Its date is yet to be set.
Tombinski
pointed out some of the benefits for Ukraine, such as being able to
tap into Europe’s resources in cases of crises.
“The
aid received by some EU countries in crisis was unprecedented,
proving that solidarity is not an empty talk,” Tombinski said.
He
also said that Ukraine negotiated its deal with EU as “a
sovereign subject of international law, without external economic or
political pressure.” He praised Ukraine’s team of negotiators for
strongly defending national interests.
Outside
the National Philharmonic Concert Hall, where Tombinski and others
preached the EU benefits to an audience of several hundred of
the already converted, a group of young people challenged
their cause. A dozen people carried flags
with logos of Ukrainiskiy Vybir (Ukrainian Choice),
a non-government organization campaigning for closer relations with
Russia. Its demonstrators chanted “Hands
off Ukraine.”
“Gays
and incest are a norm in Europe, and gay parades are a proof of
that,” one of the campaigners shouted into the megaphone as
European diplomats, Ukrainian parliament deputies and other guests
disembarked from their cars.
Tombinski,
in response to their concerns, said that the EU is
extremely diverse and includes many conservative communities.
“Diversity is the key principle of the European Union,” he
said.
Tombinski
said that the Kremlin needn’t worry about
Ukraine’s aspirations to integrate closer to Europe since
Russia will benefit from such integration also.
Nonetheless,
Thomas Fiala, head of the European Business Association, said
the EU can protect Ukraine from “the dominating influence of
Russia.” His statement appeared to be a reference to a six-day
trade war launched by Russia in August, when about 50 Ukrainian
exporters were subjected to rigorous checks and delays at the border
that practically paralyzed their activity and threatened many supply
contracts.
Top
Russian officials warned that more pressure was
coming if Ukraine signs an association with Europe. Sergei Glaziev,
President Vladimir Putin’s adviser on economy, said Ukraine will
cease to be Russia’s “strategic partner.”
Igor Shuvalov, the first deputy prime minister, warned that Ukraine may be
expelled from the free trade zone with Russia.
Fiala
said that it is Russia’s style of economic management that makes it
lose $80 billion annually in the form of capital flight. “Most of
this money goes to the EU,” he said.
He
said the EU stands for competition, low
corruption and stable rules for business. “Ukraine will benefit
from increased local and international competition, the points I mentioned are weak points in Ukraine and CIS investment environment,”
he said.
Gennadiy
Chizhikov, head of Ukraine’s Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said that
Ukraine’s business supports free trade zones with all neighbors, and
liberalization of the economy. He said that the AA will give
“additional benefits for exporters to EU, which is considered one
of the most protected markets.”
Small
and medium business will receive better operating standards, access
to funds, as well as opportunities for training and education in the
EU through its various programs, Chizhikov said.
The
EU is a market of 500 million people, one of the biggest in
the world, many speakers pointed out. Its combined gross domestic
product is close to $17 trillion.
Andriy
Olefirov, deputy
foreign minister of Ukraine, said that the government also has an
information strategy until the year 2017 to explain these and other benefits of European
integration. He said the government considers such an
information campaign to be a “common task with the EU.”
Alyona
Hetmanchuk, head of the Institute of World Policy, said that
coordinated action is still lacking to empower the people to take a
greater role in promoting the European integration. She said her
travels across Ukraine showed that many are still skeptical that the
signing is possible, and that it will bring positive change.
“Many
people are prepared to take a more active part in social life, but
what lacks is faith that the agreement will be signed and that
positive change is possible,” she said.
Svyatloslav
Vakarchuk, one of Ukraine’s most famous singers, said that to him,
it’s clear that the European integration will not happen overnight,
but rather through hard, everyday work to achieve the fundamental
value of Europe – freedom.
He
said first change will come in people, then in economy, politics and
geopolitics. “This is the kind of European integration I believe
in,” he said.
Kyiv
Post deputy chief editor Katya Gorchinskaya can be reached at
gorchinskaya@kyivpost.com.
