It seems that Ukraine has grown tired of making unilateral concessions to the EU as far as the readmission agreement is concerned. Kyiv believes that the European side’s proposals in this matter are discriminatory and unacceptable, reports the press service of Ukraine’s representation at the European Union. “The European Commission is either not aware of the real state of affairs in Ukraine or has exhausted its supply of arguments at the negotiating table if it is introducing absolutely unacceptable and discriminatory suggestions about the readmission agreement,” the statement says.
The Ukrainian side notes furthermore that it is not Kyiv but the European side that is procrastinating with the signing of readmission and relaxed visa treatment agreements. What has also surprised Kyiv is the fact that on Oct. 2, about two months after the last round of negotiations ended on July 20, 2006, the European side came up with the proposals that discriminate against Ukraine in comparison with other countries in the region.
On Oct. 3, Friso Roscam Abbing, spokesman for the EU Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, told Radio Liberty that the signing of agreements on a relaxed visa treatment and readmission between Ukraine and the EU was being delayed through the Ukrainian side’s fault. Ukraine has been negotiating a readmission agreement with the EU since 2002 and a relaxed visa treatment agreement since 2005.
Why then has a dispute arisen between Brussels and Kyiv now that the two sides seem to be so close to reaching mutual understanding on these matters and signing an agreement at the Ukraine-EU summit?
An informed source told The Day that the EU would like the relaxed visa treatment of Ukraine and the agreement on readmission to come into force simultaneously. Although Ukraine was the first to offer the EU an agreement on relaxed visa requirements, the EU signed this kind of agreement with Russia, allowing it to defer the enforcement of the readmission agreement by three years. Now Ukraine is demanding a similar approach, insisting that the EU take into account the fact that Kyiv, unlike Moscow, has introduced a visa-free regime with the Union.
The source believes that this is nothing but discrimination. According to this unnamed individual, the EU in principle agrees to this but “says that Russia was given a deferral as a strategic partner...If we also do this for you, this will be a precedent, and every other country will be demanding a similar deferral. We do not want this,” the source quoted EU officials as saying. In his view, the EU wants to demonstrate a principled approach at Ukraine’s expense. He thinks that Ukraine does not need this kind of readmission and relaxed visa treatment agreement because there is no serious relaxation.
Some EU countries may or may not use a favorable regime that largely benefits businessmen and journalists, while the rest of the population will not enjoy visa relaxation. In international practice, complete readmission and visa-free treatment are part of the same package. “We are being denied a visa-free treatment but are required to pay for the whole package. It is uncivil on their part to resort to double standards that are overtly unfair and discriminatory in comparison with their treatment of the Russians,” the source notes. In his opinion, Ukraine will achieve nothing by means of unilateral concessions and should demand free visas in response to the step it has taken, i.e., visa-free treatment of EU citizens.
Perhaps Ukraine should learn from other countries how to conduct itself in this situation. For example, Turkey, which is also seeking to join the EU, charges an entry visa fee. Why then should our citizens pay 30 to 60 euros for a visa, while EU citizens — hardly poorer than Ukrainians — should come to us free of charge? Obviously, there should be justice for all. When they enter Ukraine, foreigners should pay as much as our citizens do when we enter their country. Other countries should respect our rights just as we respect theirs.
COMMENTARIES
Valerii CHALY, international program manager, Razumkov Center:
“One can only praise the more clear-cut and insistent position of our foreign ministry at the negotiations on a relaxed visa treatment and readmission. It is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that must defend the interests of Ukraine and Ukrainian citizens. I do not consider it a problem if the agreement is not signed by Oct. 27, the day of the next Ukraine-EU summit. It is more important for me, as a citizen of Ukraine, that our national interests be taken into account as fully as possible. These negotiations have not been smooth. From the very outset, Ukraine was forced to accept the linking of relaxed visa requirements with the readmission issue. The bulk of illegal immigrants are third-country nationals, who make their way to EU countries via Ukraine. We expected, and still do, similar steps on the EU’s part with respect to relaxed visa requirements. I think that reaching a compromise and signing the final agreement is only a question of time. The point is that some details of the negotiating process have surfaced — and not on Ukraine’s initiative at that. It was an EU executive who made the statement, which I think was a mistake. International negotiations of this kind should proceed intensively and effectively through diplomatic channels and be publicized much later, when the document is finalized and ready for signing.
“The quality of relations with the EU, positive dynamics, and the climate of relations provide ample grounds to say that this problem will be solved through negotiations, and I hope we wind up signing a mutually-advantageous agreement.”
