Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego

International Program

The Enlarged EU and Ukraine: New Relations

contact:
Grzegorz Gromadzki
ggromadzki@batory.org.pl,
Anna Wróbel
awrobel@batory.org.pl

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).

Interviews

Interview with Larysa Skoryk

Doctor of Architecture, professor of National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, public activist.

What means "Ukraine's European choice" for you?

For those Ukrainians who have genetic memory about eternal Ukraine's European character in historical connection, which keeps at least Greek (that are much more ancient than Byzantine) and Varangian retrospections, connection of the throne of Kyiv Rus with western crowns, — the need of integration of present-day Ukraine to European community is both organic and necessary. First of all, as a real rescue from consequences of involvement of Ukraine for several centuries (after calamity of Pereyaslav Rada in 1654) into the world of foreign culture, mentality, political and economical life of Russian empire. Just at the end of XVIII century Peter I tried with forced actions "to cut through the window into Europe", but nevertheless Russian empire remained on "on a frontier of the worlds" in the specific space of surreal "Eurasian" categories.

Reasons and obstacles of Ukraine's participation in the processes of European integration.

A short period of competitions of Ukraine during 1917-19, at the time of recommencement of Ukrainian state and attempt to return to its own organic "European choice", was brutally destroyed by Bolshevik aggression. And for the period of 70 years (for Western Ukraine — 47 years), being a part of Soviet totalitarian empire Ukraine found itself in pathologically severe isolation from European culture, principles of individual and social life.

So, European choice for present Ukraine — is like 'return home' after many years of nation's despondency that caused innumerable victims, display of national amnesia and loss by a considerable part of nation of the feeling of belonging to historically, culturally, ethno-psychologically close to Ukraine European world; and gifted mainly east and south of Ukraine with Siamese inosculation with foreign language, foreign social 'blood circulation' intensified by ideological, political and economical perversions of former USSR.

EU expansion, its influence on Ukraine, the role of EU new members (Poland, Hungary, Slovakia) in realization of Ukraine's European perspectives.

It seems that for Western European countries Ukraine's drama of the last centuries is not very comprehensible. Better this can understand the states of Eastern Europe that had to experience in post-war decades "fascination" of Soviet imperialism, but in much more "civilized" form. Among them only Poland suffered state destruction from tsar Russia.

Maybe, because of its own experience of forced "integration" to the space controlled by Moscow, these countries, and especially Poland, are loyal today, and they even sympathize with Ukraine's attempts to realize one of its main priorities in foreign policy — European choice, integration to European and Euro-Atlantic structures.

Ukraine's priority-driven task must be the entry into European Union — first as associated, and then as full member, as well as development of relations and entry into NATO.

Ukrainian history, geographical position, natural resources, present arrangement of forces, in which more stereoscopic with each time without any grounds there appears Moscow's nostalgia for revival of world influence and its desperate attempts to involve Ukraine into "inviolable" Union at least of "the four" or in "the one economical space of underdeveloped countries" — don't give Ukraine grounds for any doubts in choice between the West and the East.

The perspectives of European business in Ukraine, and Ukrainian business in EU. Possible contribution of Ukraine to Europe's development.

As to interaction of Ukrainian and European business, one should remember, that yet at the beginning of independent state life in 1991 the government of Ukraine initiated adoption by Ukrainian parliament of "The Law about Investments" that caused keen interest and appreciation of business and financial circles of the west. This law was considered to be the most progressive among all similar laws adopted in different post-Soviet countries, including Russia. Clear and reliable guarantees of the state for foreign investors, simplified system of direct investment-business relations that allowed to avoid development of scaled corruption and bribery, testified Ukraine's readiness to international business-financial relations, and in 1992 serious business circles were keenly interested in Ukraine. However, further political changes in Ukraine that took place with direct participation of Moscow, prescheduled change of the government (and later of the President) and then abrogation of this law, substitution of state's control over the policy of international investment and business contacts for control of groups and clans close to power, typical to post-Soviet states corruption of this sphere caused, that today Ukraine has to make considerable and urgent efforts, in order to become attractive for respected European business again.

Since 1992 in Ukraine there was created a favourable climate for penetration of exceptionally Russian business and investment owing to artificially created total fuel and energy Ukraine's dependence on Russia.

However, essential changes in foreign policy of Ukraine in connection of its support of anti-Saddam alliance at last really open for Ukraine long and absolutely necessary for independent state development fuel alternative, and reality of strengthening of business ties with the West.

The fact, that EU can be interested in Ukraine from business standpoint, is based on not only cheap and qualified manpower, high fertility of Ukrainian humus, and possibilities of development of great natural resources, but also on presence in Ukraine of progressive and highly effective scientific-technical facilities for industrial and agricultural sphere that, however, under present difficult financial-economical conditions cannot be realized by Ukraine independently, and need for mutually beneficial cooperation with foreign financial-business structures.

The main directions of economical reconstruction of Ukraine, in which Western world could play an important role, were stated yet in adopted in 1993 by Ukrainian parliament "State program of development of industrial forces of Ukraine". But because of abovementioned political changes in Ukraine this program was cancelled in 1995, and along with it the possibilities of a real structural reconstruction of Ukraine's economy and development of business-investment ties with the West were lost for a long while; and all business vector, as it was mentioned, was artificially directed to Russia.

Movement towards Europe: independently or together with Russia?

In order not to be alone on European continent (at best), or not to enter again a despairingly technologically backward space "forever along with" Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, Ukraine has to find an effective way to EU — but, of course, without "along with Russia" proposed to it with eastern craftiness. On what grounds and with what perspective? Together with Moscow's unforgiven blood Chechen sin; "democratisation" by forces and methods of Federal Security Service (FSB); much more scaled corruption than in Ukraine; territorial claims of Russian politicians to Ukraine, or in order to please two newest Russia's European allies on Iraqi problem, concerning which Ukraine took quite mature, state and strategic position?

As to war against Suddam Hussein regime Ukraine made a wise decision on its own. As well independently it should follow the way to EU — without any additional weight from the past.

Undoubtedly, in order that this path wasn't thorny and long, Ukraine must as quickly as possible achieve success in extermination of clan character and corruptibility in its own state structures; conduct an administrative-political reform, and, resting upon these actions, make economic reforms real, and create favourable investment conditions. Ukraine should determine priorities of development of Ukrainian economy and our opportunities in European market. Ukraine should prove to itself and to the West that it wants to build a civil society, — therefore Ukrainian state has to create favourable conditions for real development of the system of democratic self-government.

Europe is closer to from all standpoints. And if Europe cares, that on the border of Eurasian space of unpredictable Russia Ukraine became a country with predictable European democracy as soon as possible, the states — EU members must put the question concerning Ukraine on a concrete basis, and, probably, think that those need intensifying of especially "negative image" of Ukraine (quotation from Joschka Fischer's speech), in order to make Ukraine's way to EU more complicated, who so ardently calls upon Ukraine to diametrically opposite "integration"...