Ukraine parliament to work on Association bills after May 15

Ukraine’s parliament will work on legislation necessary for the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement only after the two-week holiday beginning May 1, National Security and Defense Council Chair Andriy Kliuyev told the Interfax news wire on April 25, following his official visit to Brussels. Only four legislative items (out of several dozens) have been approved so far, two of which in the first reading.

Zenon Zawada: Kliuyev’s statement confirms that parliament won’t meet before May 15, when a European Commission board will review meet to evaluate Ukraine’s progress. Much will depend upon on how serious this deadline will be upheld. The report produced from the review will be examined on May 27 at the by foreign ministers council of the EU Council, whose “tempos of review are considered extremely tight and can’t be reduced,” reported the Kommersant-Ukrayina newspaper. But it looks as though the EU will make yet another exception for the Ukrainians, which is confirmed by Kliuyev’s matter-of-fact tone to parliament voting after May 15. So not only is the Ukrainian government not fulfilling certain requirements, but parliament might not even approve all the requirements the government has agreed to fulfill, given the conflicts in recent months that remain largely unresolved. We expect the EU’s patience will be tested to the fullest extent in the lead up to the Eastern Partnership summit in November, with a decent chance that it can snap.