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International ProgramThe Enlarged EU and Ukraine: New Relations |
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The project is financed by the Stefan Batory Foundation (Warsaw), International Rennaissance Foundation (Kyiv), Open Society Institute (Budapest) and has been supported by the Poland-America-Ukraine Cooperation Initiative (PAUCI), financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). |
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Interview with Vitaliy KononovChairperson of the Green Party of Ukraine,
What does European Choice of Ukraine mean for you?For many in Ukraine European choice means to get out of the "orbit of Russia", peppered with the passionate desire to join NATO. It reminds me of that "svetloye budushcheeye" (glorious future) of communism that was set as the target in the USSR. As we join Europe, we should ask ourselves, which Europe would we like to be. Our very recent experience with the Iraq war and the issue of sending out chemical and bacteriological weapons mitigation troops should be enough to derive lessons. European Choice for Ukraine is not "to be with Russia or to be with America" as is the case with most East European states. We, all states in the East of Europe still suffer from the historic inertia of being afraid of Russia. For us, the largest state in Eastern Europe, European choice means more than to be away from Russia. European choice for Ukraine is to assert the principles of democracy, equal opportunity, rule of law and sustainable development. European choice is for the Ukrainians to choose their own independent foreign policy, based on the European framework (transparency, public participation). EU states may have differences, and that is allowed. Ukraine may have its national interest even being in the European framework. It is not a bloc or satellite diplomacy that we should enter into, to be used as tools by other powers. As a representative of a serious political group (the Green party of Ukraine is the second largest green party in Europe after the Green party of Germany) and a member of the European Federation of the Greens, my vision of European integration for Ukraine is to have constructive dialogue between the East and the West of Europe on all global issues. Through this process we consolidate not only our ideology but also send the message of sustainable development across the continent. The East West dialogue of the Greens is perhaps the only example of forces of "realpolitik" coming together at the horizontal grassroots level and discussing issues of the continent. Reasons and obstacles of the participation of Ukraine in the process of European Integration.I believe the major obstacle to the full-fledged participation of Ukraine in European integration is the absence of change of elite. Most of the elite is from the old Soviet and Communist bodies, party or komsomol bosses and the technocratic leaders having amassed capital as they had better access to resources. That part of intelligentsia, which was essentially European, listened to Radio Svoboda, read "samizdat" (banned literature) and longed for change unfortunately, did not have access to resources. This led to gross misuse of power. The face of market economy for the common Ukrainian neither had a human face or a human heart. We have to return the faith of the people to these changes, restore the faith they had on the bodies of power, for us to be the real representatives of people. Otherwise we will be a European nation in name and in geographic expression only. What do you consider to be the contribution of your state to the future of Europe, what is Ukraine's role in the (actual and desired) in the political, economic and social changes pervading all over Europe?As with most things in life and especially with politics in Ukraine, the ideal and the real are marked by a gulf of difference between them. Why and how does this gap happen? Again it lies in the difference between the pronouncements or declarations made by the policy makers and the real intentions of the elite and how these statements or commitments are translated into action. Our task is to shorten and bridge that gap. We can only do it by enhancing people's participation: to hold the policy makers (who are paid from the taxpayers' pocket) responsible and accountable for their commitments. Now, coming back to the question, Ukraine's ideal role in Europe is to be a full-fledged modern socially responsible market and democracy and contribute to the further strengthening of peace and stability. Politically, Ukraine should be a link and a bridge between Russia and the EU and not a buffer. Economically Ukraine should be a market based on effective management of resources and the principles of sustainable development. Socially, Ukraine should be a model with maximum protection of human rights and freedoms on its soil. However, in reality only time and further steps of the policy makers will show what is in store for us. Present enlargement of the EU and its impact on Ukraine.When we speak of the impact of EU enlargement, we usually speak negatively about how it is going to affect our people, trade, movement and opening of markets etc. We seldom think what positive impact these changes may bring. First, we will have our western borders protected by a net of multilateralism, something very important for our security and integrity. This is not the case with our eastern borders. What we need to do now is to have comprehensive research done on this issue. East European Development Institute, of which I am a Board member, has recently embarked on such a research, which will analyze the impact of EU enlargement on labor market, health care, education, social sector and the environment using demographic projections based on the latest census data. We welcome all interested individuals and institutions to join and support this initiative. One of the analyses in this project would be focused on how much assistance (both domestic and international) may Ukraine need in these sectors to safeguard them from serious negative trends. Role of the neighboring countries, which are soon going to be members of the EU (Poland, Hungary, Slovakia) in the realization of the European Choice of Ukraine.As our neighbors, these states play an extremely important role. On one hand, they will be bound to introduce regulations restricting the movement of people and goods, but on the other hand, they would also benefit from our terms of trade, land transportation artery for fuel and gas as well as goods to Russia and the Caucasus. We may also foresee some investments coming from these states to Ukraine. Thus, the market of Ukraine may offer them better prospects. After all they would prefer having a friendly neighbor in their eastern borders. Finally, cross-border environmental issues are always crucial in relations between neighbors. That would lead all of us to sit around negotiation tables and discuss. Thus there is no way that these states will distance away from us as soon as they enter EU. Over a period of time, these good neighborly relations will pave the way for Ukraine's European integration. Effective way of Ukraine to the European structures, independently or together with Russia.The notion that Ukraine will integrate with Europe when our leaders (large part of whom are from the old Soviet elite) shake hands and write memoranda, become members of groups and bodies is a myth. Of course we need all this as the framework. But we have to fill this framework with real content for our people. What does this framework mean for an ordinary Ukrainian when he/she has to face harassment to get visas, to go to Europe (even for employment), when women and children are trafficked, in short when the benefits of European integration go not to the people but to the handful elite, whose children have the material resources to study in costly schools of the West and behave in the same arrogant way as their parents at home. Not just the elite, the Ukrainian people have to identify themselves and understand Europe, see Europe and feel European. People to people networks are no less important than the inter-governmental exchanges. Imagine if we had party-to party, group to group, school to school contacts with the EU states, should we really care about whether to go alone or with Russia? Problems of visa and immigration from Ukraine to EU.I think I have already answered to this question. What would you recommend the EU to change in its policy toward Ukraine?I would recommend setting standards and rules, which are universal and equal for everyone. Europe has to gain from the enormous potential that Ukraine has in all respects. We will harmonize all our legislation, all framework requirements will be in place, and in return we need to have the same treatment towards our natural and human resources. There is no one way traffic in the case of integration. The present situation and the prospects of European business in Ukraine and Ukrainian business in the EU.In these days of corporate globalization, could we really speak of European or Ukrainian business? Perhaps the issue is the way of conducting business or the environment for business and investments. Business in the Ukrainian way is replete with Soviet-style top down management, total absence of transparency, under-the-table dealings etc. But we also know that such cases happen in the West as well, for example with Enron, Vivendi and other scandals. What is the answer? Stringent rules? Not that alone. While you make enabling environment for businesses, you should also look at the anti-monopoly, environmental and the human sides of it. Business, which does not generate employment and enhance people's living standards, is of no use, wherever it may come from, Europe, Africa or America. Most of all, if we do not have frameworks for protecting the environment in business projects, then that kind of business is industrialist exploitation. European societies more and more speak of entering the post-industrial stage of development. The key to this is knowledge-based business and effective information and knowledge management. Thus if Ukraine does not adapt to these new demands of time, it will remain unsuccessful as a market. What is common and what is different in the cultures of the EU and Ukraine? Is Ukraine part of the Western world?You may be aware that the geographic centre of Europe lies in Ukraine, in the city of Rakhiv near Ivano-Frankivsk in west Ukraine. However, the political centre of Europe may lie in Switzerland. Traditions and history of Ukraine has been shaped by common events since ancient times. The difference in culture between the West and East of Europe is no wider than that of the North and South of Europe, say, for example between Norway and Greece, Sweden and Spain in terms of language, folklore etc. But we share the same history. The "western world" as a cohesive political bloc emerged essentially after World War II and is a product of the Marshall Plan. In that sense Ukraine was severed from that "western world" for quite some time. What is Europe today? Look carefully at the streets of Paris, London and Berlin. People from all over the world stay, work and develop freely. That did not destroy the European identity of these states. I am in favour of Ukraine integrating fully into this global migration of talents, peoples and cultures. With the culture and values that our civilization shares it is not very far from Western Europe. I would rather say, it will be up to the European states to treat us as part of their cultural identity than for us, the Ukrainians to fight hard to prove that we are Europeans. This is a political and not a cultural issue. 4th April, 2003
Copyright © Fundacja Batorego
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