Ukraine's Deputy PM for European Integration expects positive assessment of Ukraine's progress on its path to EU

Olha Stefanishyna, the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, has expressed confidence that the assessment of Ukraine's progress on the path to European Union membership in the European Commission's report, which will be published on 8 November, will be positive. 

Source: Stefanishyna in an interview with ZN.ua, as European Pravda reported

Quote: "This will definitely be a positive assessment. I know this because I constantly interact with the European Commission. I informed them about our progress almost every month," Stefanishyna said. 

According to Stefanishyna, Ukraine provided information not only on the implementation of the seven political steps necessary for the opening of accession negotiations but, in general, on the entire block of future negotiations and all 35 chapters. 

Quote: "Therefore, I am confident in the positive assessment of the European Commission. Of course, the report will contain recommendations for further steps in the field of reforms. These are, in fact, recommendations for the next year, and now they will be every year," the deputy prime minister is convinced. 

She also expressed her belief that this report will demonstrate that Ukrainians constantly underestimate themselves and constantly feel unhappy, although they are not as a country. 

Quote: "When a Ukrainian politician, me or anyone else, comes out and says that Ukraine is a developed democracy, they laugh at us and do not believe us. They say, look: there is corruption, the Pechersk ex-prosecutor throws a huge wedding party, and so on. But this report, prepared by the European Commission, will give an objective picture, for example, that we have had a competitive open election process throughout the history of independence," Stefanishyna said. 

"There were attempts to falsify; we changed the legislation; it was all public; it was all exposed. The same applies to other areas: there will be recognition of achievements, problematic points, and formulated recommendations," the deputy prime minister summed up. 

Background:

• Today, 4 November, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, is visiting Kyiv before the publication of the report on Ukraine's progress towards EU membership, which is expected on 8 November. 
• The possible visit of the President of the European Commission to Ukraine became known last week. The mass media suggested that this may indicate a positive assessment of Kyiv's progress in the "candidate" reforms. 
• According to unofficial data, the European Commission is preparing to publish on 8 November a positive assessment of Ukraine's progress in the reforms it must implement for further movement in the EU, but this assessment may contain additional conditions.

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