IPN interview with Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Moldova Serhii Pyrozhkov
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At the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit of November 29, 2013, Moldova will enter a new stage of relations with the European Union. What will it bring and how will it influence the life of the Moldovans from the country and from abroad? What will each of us gain and what should we do for this benefit to become possible? How will the new conditions affect Moldova’s relations with other countries? The IPN Agency aims to look for answers to these and other questions worrying society, together with you, within the series of articles “Association with the EU to everyone’s understanding”.
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– At the Vilnius EaP Summit of November, Ukraine will sign the Association Agreement with the EU, while Moldova will only initial it. What did Ukraine do best on the road to this summit and what can be useful to Moldova?
– I think that both Ukraine and Moldova worked well. Ukraine worked to prepare all the necessary documents for over five years. The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement that Ukraine will sign with the EU is more detailed and contains more chapters because the economies of Ukraine and Moldova have different potential, while for the EU it is very important to define all the areas of activity in the commercial-economic relations. Ukraine’s and Moldova’s exports to the EU are different in volume. Why will Moldova not sign, but only initial the Association Agreement with the EU? I think the reason is only the lack of time needed to prepare the technical part of the documents. After the negotiations with the EU are completed, a period of half a year or even more is needed to translate all the documents into the 28 official languages of the EU.
The political crisis experienced by Moldova in January – May this year was a lost period of time as the documents needed for signing could be prepared then. It is yet important that both the EU and Moldova have political will to sign the Association Agreement in the nearest future. Moldova must profit from Ukraine’s experience in informing the population. The homework for each of the two countries is to prepare the people for the integration into the EU. Ukraine already realized this and worked out a special program to inform the population about the implemented documents.
– What did the Ukrainian citizens obtain until now and what will every citizen obtain after the Association Agreement is signed with the EU? I refer to the Ukrainian citizens, not the Ukrainian government and state?
– I believe the main goal of these agreements is for Ukraine and Moldova to reach the EU living standards. The accord is a roadmap for reaching the quality standards and requirements existing in the EU. If this roadmap is not fulfilled, the food products and medicines will not be of a high quality and the human rights will not be respected and protected according to the EU model. That’s why the signing and implementation of the agreements is the homework for every state apart. The population must realize that we will not be ready to become integrated into the EU starting with the next day after the agreement is signed as the integration is a long-lasting process. Ukraine projected that it will be ready to integrate into the EU in about 10 years. If the economy is not modernized in the period and we do not create competitive enterprises, they will simply disappear and the people should realize this. If we do our homework correctly, the population will have access to better education, food products of a high quality and services that meet the EU standards. The observance of the human rights and freedoms will be guaranteed because the country’s economic and political development is not possible without this.
– What were the most serious challenges faced by Ukraine on the path to European integration until now? Do they resemble those faced by Moldova?
– The greatest challenge for Ukraine was to convince the political elite and the government that the country should follow the path to the EU. Unfortunately, Ukraine and Moldova formed part of the Soviet Union where the cooperation principles and rules were different. The recognition of the necessity of signing the agreements with the EU, with its advantages and risks, is a historical step for Ukraine and Moldova. If everything is carried out efficiently, there will be no problems.
– How united was and is Ukrainian society in its European integration aspirations? Did you have or still have disagreements or dissenting options? Can you make a comparison with the situation in Moldova?
– In Ukraine, as in Moldova, a part of society definitely supports the European integration process. This figure stands at about 41%. 31% of the population is against, while the rest avoid making a choice. The figures in Moldova are alike. The supporters and the opponents of this process are trying to attract on their side as many people as possible. It is a political struggle. The PCRM, as an opponent of the European integration process, launched the ‘velvet revolution’. That’s why a planned effort of the government is needed in order to inform the population about the provisions of the agreements with the EU, their essence and the risks that can appear after their implementation.
– Moldovan experts consider that Moldova has slim or even no chances to carry out its European integration plan. Does Moldova support and contribute to Ukraine’s European integration?
– Ukraine already showed that it is the driving force in the signing of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU, while Moldova follows surely the same path. A saying goes that ‘the power of the tree is in its roots, while of the man is in his friends and partners’. If we join efforts, it will be easier for us to achieve these objectives. However, Moldova has a serious problem that must be definitely solved – the Transnistrian conflict. The Transnistrian region does not yet want to join the agreements with the EU.
– You are the diplomat with the longest tenure in Moldova. Did Moldova and the Moldovans change in this period? Did the Moldovans become more European in their behavior?
– When I came to Moldova to work as an ambassador in 2007, the situation at external and internal levels was the same. The eight years of Communist government left an imprint. After the coming of the Alliance for European Integration to power, the course to the EU started to shape up. The quality of roads is the most visible thing that changed in Moldova since my arrival. I recently returned from Vinita. I came to Chisinau through Edinet and other settlements and was glad to see roads that almost meet the European standards. I think it is the most relevant example, but there are other examples too. There are founded enterprises that meet the modern standards and that can compete with companies with richer experience. I consider that these are the driving forces that will lead Moldova’s economy to the EU standards. The European requirements that will be met by Moldova will bring the expected results and this is a European integration prospect that I sincerely wish Moldova to enjoy.
Alina Marin, IPN
