Roman Shpeck: «Ukraine needs to focus not on the visa-free regime but on the trade one in its relations with the EU»

In relations with the EU, we need to concentrate all the attention not so much on the visa-free regime, but on the trade regime in order to create better conditions for the national economy. Such opinion was expressed by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the EU (2000-2008) Roman Shpeck during the 5^th Kyiv Security Forum for Youth, organized by the Arseniy Yatseniuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

At the same time Ukrainian diplomat noted that in order to move forward the issue of European integration, Ukrainians should more critically and responsibly refer to the process of reforming the state.

«In the process of the European integration two components are important for Ukraine today. First of all, formal conditions that must be fulfill, and secondly is the actual situation in the country and how it is evaluated by our European partners. And when we will start to evaluate our state critically, the state of the reforms we are implementing, then we will not wonder why Moldova and Georgia received a free regime, and we must report on the implementation of our formal conditions once again».

«Firstly, we need to ask ourselves why there is no justice in our country. After all, democracy is not anarchy, but the force of law. Why is it difficult to prove your right in Ukraine because of corruption? Why are senior government officials who urge us to revive the economy, say us: «I do not believe in the banking system and therefore keep all the money at home»? Why, when we implement reform, we count quantitative indicator, not the qualitative one, and do not interest whether the implementation of these reforms led to qualitative changes in the economy, society, and country?» - Roman Shpeck said.

At the same time, he expressed the hope that Ukrainian youth will become the driving force that will lead the process of changes of state to a new level and will monitor effectively its progress.

«I hope that the Ukrainian youth will become the most active element of a civil society and have a request to them to be so. You have to be involved the reform process of the country and hear your voice. You have to generate a request for reforms and the request to changes in the state. And you should see the result of your actions. And then, of course, we will have a visa-free regime, and you can with less difficulty to go to study abroad and get there the knowledge and skills which, I hope, you can realize in favor of the state», - Roman Shpeck said.

FOR INFORMATION:

Youth Kyiv Security Forum is a platform for discussion by young experts of current issues of international relations and foreign policy of Ukraine. The aim of the forum is strengthening the role of the new generation of experts, enhancing their abilities to participate in the process of policy analysis and development.

Organizer of the Forum is the open Ukraine Foundation.