Groysman: Ukrainian Parliament able to take decisions required for European integration

Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman notes ability of the Ukrainian Parliament to consolidate and take decisions required for the European integration.

"We can consolidate and take decisions to ensure the process of to the European integration," Groysman said at the meeting with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

Groysman said the Verkhovna Rada continued working on establishment of the legal framework aimed at internal reforms and implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and the EU Visa Liberalization Action Plan for Ukraine.

The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada also said Ukraine was committed to implementation of the Minsk agreements. At the same time, he noted Russia continued "controlled escalation in Donbas," thus, international sanctions, in his words, required retention unless the Minsk agreements were observed by the Russian Federation in full.

In turn, Federica Mogherini noted that her visit took place on the eve of important process of decision-making at the Verkhovna Rada. She said Ukraine and the European Union had "a joint agenda" on the implementation of the Minsk agreements and liberalization of the visa regime. She said that adoption of the anticorruption draft laws was of particular importance for the Ukrainian citizens.

The High European Representative said the EU supported constitutional reform touching the decentralization of power and reformation of the judicial system.

The people's deputies/representatives of deputy factions and groups, who took part in the meeting, noted that the visit of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on the eve of important voting at the Ukrainian Parliament indicated EU's support of Ukraine and the process of domestic reforms. They also pointed to the necessity to toughen the pressure on the Russian Federation and retain respective sanctions in order to make Russia comprehensively fulfill the Minsk agreements.

According to people's deputies, the issue of the European integration and peace in the east of our state are of top-priority for Ukraine and the EU member countries.

Verkhovna Rada Chairperson Volodymyr Groysman noted that Ukraine and its Parliament are now "in a particularly important period." Groysman noted that Ukraine shares "joint priorities with the EU."

"I believe tomorrow we will show our political maturity and back the "visa-free" laws," he said.

The Chairperson of the Ukrainian Parliament also thanked EU institutions for their attention to the decentralization reform in Ukraine and noted that legislating of respective amendments would facilitate the creation of conditions for the economy's development.

"I'd like to stress our commitment to the European values, we will continue searching joint solutions required for the European integration of Ukraine," Groysman said.

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