Fellow Ukrainians!
Right now,
in Brussels, the European Commission published the final report on the full
implementation of criteria for the visa-free regime by Ukraine.
Without any
exaggeration, it is a great victory for Ukraine and each of you. I sincerely
congratulate everyone on this.
After the
Agreement on political association and deep and comprehensive free trade area,
we have made another stride towards our cherished European dream.
It is not a
secret that many people both in Ukraine and the EU doubted that we would manage
to elaborate clear and unconditional prospective for the abolition of the
visa-free regime for Ukrainians.
Nevertheless,
we have been moving towards our goal for long 7 years and I am proud that I was
standing at the very beginning of this long road. Even yesterday’s negotiations
in Brussels, I can already tell you this, were pretty complicated… However, my
team and I managed to set the record straight.
I am truly
grateful to our European partners, Verkhovna Rada, Government, diplomats,
Ukrainian civil society and all Ukrainian people for our common efforts.
Together we
won the deserved right for the Ukrainian citizens to travel to the EU countries
without visas. They will become a reality next year already.
Today’s
decision by the European Commission, apart from providing a green light to the
introduction of the visa-free regime, is a signal of recognition of Ukrainian
reformist efforts, inter alia, in the sphere of justice, struggle against
corruption, establishment of new law enforcement bodies etc.
We endured
the long seven-year marathon in the visa-free race. However, there was a true
sprint in the issue of fight against corruption and launch of an absolutely new
anti-corruption system in Ukraine.
There are
equally difficult challenges ahead.
Visa liberalization
reforms are just a training race, especially when comparing with the
implementation of objectives in the framework of political association and free
trade area with the EU.
It will
start functioning on January 1, 2016, no matter how hard somebody may try to
stop us.
It is our
joint position with the European Union, just as in the issue of sanctions
against Russia. The EU continues to protect the Ukrainian sovereignty,
independence and territorial integrity together with us.
The EU
preserves its position of unity and solidarity with Ukraine.
In
compliance with my agreement in Brussels, today the European Council started
the process of formalization of the decision to prolong sectoral sanctions
against the Russian Federation for the next six months, starting from January
31, 2016.
Sanctions
will motivate the country-aggressor to implement the Minsk agreements in full,
which is key for the achievement of peace and restoration of territorial
integrity of Ukraine.
Fellow
Ukrainians!
Once again,
it became possible due to your optimism and strong faith in the European future
of Ukraine. This faith inspires our team and all Ukrainians; adds up forces in
the fight for our national interests.
Thank you
for your support and once again congratulations on this important decision of
the European Commission.
It is
symbolic that the given decision was made on the eve of the Saint Nicholas Day
and a few weeks before the New Year. As the phrase goes in such cases: under
the Christmas tree.
I believe
that we will succeed and everything will be fine.
Glory to
Ukraine! European Ukraine!
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