00:07Transcrição e Legendas por QTSS
00:30Transcrição e Legendas por QTSS
01:00Transcrição e Legendas por QTSS
01:02The formula is very clear that we need to have a fast, comprehensive, normal accession process that will end with
01:12a signing of a treaty of accession under Article 49 of the Treaty of European Union.
01:16So this is normal, normal accession. Everything else, I think that it doesn't matter, but we will see what else
01:28in the letter of Chancellor Merz.
01:30Do you see any sort of phased or partial integration for Ukraine or it's a no-go?
01:36So gradual integration is a term that exists within the accession process, so that from the 1st of January 2026
01:45we started Rome like at home,
01:46when the project where Ukraine is treated like a member state of the European Union, so the same rights and
01:53the same obligations, we use an association agreement for these purposes.
01:58For us, the integration into the internal market even before the accession to the European Union is of utmost interest
02:07because our business wants to be treated as a business of the European Union with no trade barriers,
02:13but it should not decrease the attention or move any resources from accession negotiations.
02:23Ukraine set a target to complete all the internal obligations and be technically ready for the EU membership by the
02:29end of 2027,
02:31but it does take some time from candidates countries decade to finally join the European Union.
02:37Is this something that Ukraine is ready to wait longer, much longer in this case?
02:42Here we still have certain prejudice towards Ukraine.
02:47For Ukraine, this decade started in like 15 years ago or even earlier when we negotiated association agreement.
02:55A lot of our policies are based on EU rules, so that like food safety or technical regulations.
03:03And as well in the most important topic as a rule of law, what we are doing now is completing
03:09the reform that started in 2016 with review of the constitution.
03:15So that's why we absolutely rationally and in absolute sobriety know that all the benchmarks that are already defined by
03:25the European Union are easily implemented in the forthcoming 12-8 months.
03:30We are conscious that we are on the final stage of negotiations. We are not starting this.
03:37But there are some people in different member states who still believe that if cluster one will open only like
03:43here in June, so now, then it will only start the process of reforms in Ukraine.
03:49It's otherwise. So the opening of the cluster will open the final countdown.
03:54We've heard this indication regarding June also from Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos when it comes to the cluster one, which
03:59is, of course, focused on democracy and the rule of law.
04:03She also said that she expects other clusters to open in July. What's your timeline?
04:09Our timeline is that we are already behind the deadline. Free clusters were ready to open a year ago when
04:16Hungary formally started blocking the consideration of the free packages.
04:21In December, the member states communicated the benchmarks for these clusters to us. It was like a front loading so
04:29that we broke through the process of opening of clusters.
04:34In March, we got benchmarks for the remaining three out of six clusters. So everything is already done.
04:42So that's why we are already behind the schedule. So that's why we believe that all six clusters can be
04:48open already in June.
04:50But now everything depends on the bureaucracy. So that all the minor steps that that left behind.
04:56And of course, we still need to find the final arrangements with Hungary because they have relatively new government that
05:03is still dealing with a lot of issues.
05:05This is what I wanted to ask you, obviously, on Hungary and the Hungarian Vita.
05:08For so long, the previous government's been blocking the opening of the clusters.
05:13Now, with the new government, things are changing. There are consultations now being held between Kyiv and Budapest.
05:20Do you see this consultation specifically on the issue of minorities in Ukraine, which is the cornerstone for Budapest and
05:28for the new government as well?
05:29Do you see this being sorted for the clusters opening in June?
05:34First, we already heard the statement of foreign foreign minister of Hungary and deputy prime minister Anita Orban that Hungary
05:43will not block anything so that in the European Union.
05:47So this is already like a major news for everyone. And we started like very, very early on 8 of
05:54May.
05:54We started consultations with Budapest on national minorities. And we need to be very clear that Ukraine treats Hungarian community
06:06in Ukraine with full full respect.
06:08All their needs are satisfied. So this is not a commitment. This is reality.
06:13For us, they are absolutely integral part of Ukrainian society with full respects to their national identity.
06:21So we have almost 100 schools for Hungarians satisfying all demands. So that means that literally every pupil, every child
06:30in Ukraine that wants to learn in Hungarian or to learn Hungarian language while learning in Ukraine has this possibility
06:38to do it.
06:38So what we offer it as well to previous government and we continue to do so with current government is
06:46to fine tune the legislation for everyone to be aware that this incredibly good atmosphere will not change eventually, I
06:54don't know, under some different circumstances.
06:58But we need to do this to be proved as well by the constructive steps of Hungary here in Brussels,
07:05in the council and different level of consideration of the packages for opening of the clusters, which we agreed will
07:12happen.
07:13So I think that by mid of June, everything will be OK as if it will continue with the same
07:19pace.
07:20This fine tuning, does it have to happen before the official opening of the cluster, before Hungary's veto is no
07:28longer there or the commitment is enough and then the clusters could open with the commitment?
07:33In our opinion, so we already gave all necessary guarantees within cluster one so that what we are discussing now
07:41is that what else might be needed for these guarantees.
07:46I think that the dialogue on national minorities between Ukraine and Hungary will last like permanently.
07:53We also have like a permanent commission on national minorities between Ukraine and Hungary.
07:59So what kind of form of, let's say, confirming this, you know, our will and interest, this is something that
08:09we are still discussing so that I hope that you will see this news.
08:13Apart from Hungary, there might be other countries potentially that could block clusters for Ukraine and you've indicated yourself that
08:21one of these countries might be Poland when it comes to agriculture.
08:26Yeah, there is no big secret so that Polish agriculture treats Ukrainian agriculture as a competition.
08:32So last week was full of contacts with Polish government. I am co-chair of our intergovernmental commission with Poland.
08:42So we discussed all these things.
08:44So we see no intention to block opening of the clusters, but we see the good faith will to find
08:55a solution for these sensitive and complicated topics with Poland and other our neighbors and with other member states as
09:03well.
09:03But this one will be the most delicate.
09:07Minister, another concern in Brussels when it comes to the pace of EU oriented reforms in Ukraine is Kyiv's stance
09:13on corruption.
09:14There is an ongoing investigation, which also involves former chief of staff of the president of Ukraine. How do ongoing
09:21corruption cases impact confidence in the EU member states, both regarding the EU accession and regarding the currently unblocked 90
09:31billion euros loan for Ukraine?
09:33First, all these investigations are indications that our anti-corruption framework works, works efficiently, is ambitious, is capable for investigations.
09:47So this is a really good news.
09:50Second, Ukraine is that Ukraine is now living through the war and the dramatic change of its political culture. Something
10:03that was a problem for the accession of Ukraine in the past, so 10 years ago, 15 years ago, so
10:12corruption, systemic corruption is now very dramatically and fast going into the past.
10:18It's like this page is like literally like changing. So that's why for me this is something, the healthiest thing
10:28that is happening. Indeed, every corruption scandal is still a scandal. So that's why I think there will be people
10:37who will treat this otherwise.
10:39But for me, this is exactly what the EU wants us to do, to clear government, to get rid of
10:49any corruptions, to ensure that anti-corruption framework works, and it works.
10:53Last year, it was 737 cases that were opened by NABU. It was 125 indictments of prosecution office against more
11:04than 200 people.
11:05And there were 93 sentences against 130 persons by high anti-corruption court of Ukraine. This is about corruption cases
11:15that covered more than 20 billion of losses to state.
11:20So it means that it works. So it means that it works. So that this framework, anti-corruption framework works.
11:24And this framework was completed and start to be fully operational in 2023 when war already was like on the
11:33fullest scale and it was done by our current parliament.
11:37So that's why I think that the pace of reform in Ukraine is incredible in incredibly difficult circumstances. And we
11:45are doing, we are not looking for any excuses with our partners. We do our homework with like fullest accuracy
11:54possible.
11:55Thank you.
11:55Thank you.
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