February 18, 2016 was a significant day that brought visa-free regime closer for Ukraine with the EU. What happened in parliament can only be compared with the day when the European Commission gave a positive assessment of the country's readiness for innovation.
Accepted, but not that
The parallels are obvious. Now, and on December 18, 2015, Ukraine won. Although somewhat unexpectedly - the day before the probability of an adverse outcome was very high. And again, until the abolition of the visa regime, only “a few steps” remain. And again, the desire of politicians to hide their own income can disrupt the visa-free regime for Ukraine and slow down its receipt of € 600 million.
The situation can still be saved. The European Union is ready to make concessions on certain issues, and Kiev is able to prove its position. But, nevertheless, amendments to the law on declarations must be adopted. Deputies must correct the most egregious mistakes, as they did before.
Strength of habit
It is difficult to understand why the Rada is constantly trying to deceive the EU, disgracing itself, and then backtracking. Habit? But today it’s already possible to draw preliminary results: when will a visa-free regime for Ukraine with the EU become possible and what needs to be done to make this happen.
On Thursday, February 18, the Verkhovna Rada decided to amend several documents. First of all, we are talking about the law on the National Agency for the return and management of illegally withdrawn assets, on special confiscation and seizure of property, and on the prosecutor's office.
These three documents are included in the list of draft anti-corruption laws, the adoption of which is urgently required by the European Union: within three days about official amendments, he made three categorical statements.
Prosecutor General's Office - the enemy of European integration?
Nevertheless, voting for anti-corruption laws was in doubt until the last moment. On Wednesday, February 17, the profile committee of the Verkhovna Rada approved the wording of laws lobbying for the interests of the Prosecutor General. The committee and its head Kozhemyakin defended the staffing of the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office only with employees of the old department, who had worked in the system for at least 5 years. Thus, access to it was closed to anti-corruption lawyers, independent lawyers, activists. The idea of strengthening the prosecutor’s office was in line with the president’s proposals put forward in the bill, which gives the prosecutor general the right to veto the appointment of a specialist who passed the competition and was examined by the SBU.
Sabotage virtuosos
The EU statement that the strengthening of the role of the Prosecutor General is unacceptable went unnoticed. The same thing happened with the law on special confiscation and seizure of assets. Although the draft law met all the requirements of the European Union, some deputies, including the people elected from the presidential bloc, did not fully agree with him. A whole campaign was launched to disrupt its adoption, led by deputies from the Fatherland party, Yulia Tymoshenko's associates: Andrei Kozhemyakin and Sergey Vlasenko. As well as a member of the Petro Poroshenko bloc Mykola Palamarchuk and a member of "Self-help" Elena Sotnik.
The amendments of the representatives of the “pro-European” parliamentary factions actually nullified the law, despite the direct statement by the EU that any change to the document could disrupt the visa-free regime for Ukraine. As a result, the committee approved the amendments, from the EU point of view, unacceptable.
Common sense victory
But on the last night, something happened. Most likely, a tool of influence addressed to the President of Ukraine was used by Brussels or Washington. The head of state, in turn, conveys a signal to his comrades-in-arms and further to the final performers.
And the result was not long in coming. At a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada, Yuriy Lutsenko, the head of the president’s faction, suddenly refused revisions that aroused the indignation of the European Union, and asked to accept the norms, which he himself rejected. The same thing was repeated under other European integration laws. Ukrainian MPs supported the EU option, but amendments to Vlasenko, Kozhemyakin, Sotnik and Palamarchuk were not approved.
Problems
However, two important problems remained, which Ambassador Jan Tombinsky recalled in a distributed letter. For a visa-free regime, it is necessary to amend the law on electronic declarations, and by the end of March, the National Anti-Corruption Agency should begin work.
The latter requirement is easily feasible, but only if the government ceases to push its candidates. Electronic declaring is more complicated, as revisions need to be agreed with the European Union. The adoption of amendments took place with a voice, in two readings at the same time. The law has not yet been published - it is being finalized by the committee. The amendments dramatically changed the anti-corruption system.
Ends in water
For example, the requirement to declare income began to apply not to all relatives, but only to relatives who live with a deputy, civil servant or official of the local government. No need now to declare the costs of real estate in which the deputy lives, but is not registered. The minimum amount to be declared increased to 200 thousand hryvnia from 70. The criminal prosecution for incorrect declaration was postponed to 2017. Denisenko and other deputies who supported the project lied about coordinating his proposal with the European Union.
The indignation of experts and Europeans was predictable, but … It seems that Kiev is able to convince the EU of the need for some innovations, agreeing to revise the already adopted amendments.
EU Ambassador Statement
The Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine stated that the bill on electronic declaration must comply with international standards, the leadership of the anti-corruption agency must be appointed, and the National Agency itself must begin work in the 1st quarter. 2016 year
EU leaders have a great desire to provide a visa-free regime for Ukraine, so the limit of compromise is constantly being shifted. The option of ignoring EU requirements is not considered. In 2016, European Union funding in the amount of 600 million euros, as well as IMF assistance in the amount of billions of US dollars, depends on the introduction of electronic declaration. A compromise must be reached.
When to expect visa cancellation?
The Foreign Ministry does not name the date of cancellation, but they admit that there is still a struggle for a batch review of this issue with Georgia. In 2013, it was already planned to abolish the visa regime for Kiev and Chisinau, but then the countries were divided due to the delay in Ukraine's adoption of the necessary laws. As a result, since 2014, Moldovans have not needed European visas. But after an unexpected breakthrough, Ukraine’s chances increased.
The European Commission from day to day can submit to the Council of the European Union a proposal that will enable the EU to adopt a visa-free regime for Ukraine and Georgia in April. For this to happen, an appropriate decision must be taken at a meeting of the Council on March 10-11. However, there is no hope in this. Europe is already accustomed to Ukraine’s failure to fulfill its obligations and will be waiting for the Verkhovna Rada to accept the agreed amendments to the law on electronic declaration. And the anti-corruption agency will not have time to start work until March 10.
The real prospect will be a decision at a meeting of the Council of the European Union, which will be held on June 9-10, 2016. This allows us to count on the beginning of the visa-free regime at the end of July. There is also a less likely outcome - making a decision at a “non-core” meeting of the Council of the European Union. A visa-free regime will be introduced a month earlier, at the beginning of summer. But for this, genuine steps should be taken by Ukraine to fight corruption.
Ukraine + visa-free regime: list of countries
Suppose that the long-awaited goal is finally achieved. In this case, another question arises: what will give Ukraine a visa-free regime with the EU? The answer is obvious: citizens of Ukraine with biometric passports will be able to travel without visas to many European countries. Visa-free countries for Ukraine include
- 22 Schengen countries: France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Malta;
- EU countries that do not participate in the Schengen Agreement: Cyprus, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania;
- countries associated with Schengen: Iceland, Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
The only exception would be the UK: a visa to travel to this country will be required.
A visa-free regime for citizens of Ukraine will become real only with a biometric passport, and for holders of old documents everything will remain the same. The period of stay in the European Union will not exceed 90 days for six months.
In Moldova, at the border, at first they asked to provide supporting documents, but now they only require a passport. People who have not violated anything have no problems at the border control. Sometimes they ask for the purpose of the trip.
Biometric passport
It is a required document. Its design will cost up to 1 thousand UAH. Documents that the embassy now needs to issue a visa may be required at customs: invitation, hotel reservation, medical insurance, ticket back plus 45 euros per day for the entire duration of the trip. Cash can be replaced by a bank statement, traveler’s checks or invitation guarantee. And if the required documents can be delivered to the embassy, then, being abroad, it will be much more difficult to do this.
The conditions of a visa-free regime for Ukraine do not allow the holder of a biometric passport to live, study or work in the European Union. To do this, you should apply for a residence permit, student or work visa, respectively, as before and with the same set of documents.
