Ukraine: a strong parliament is the cornerstone of an effective democracy

"A strong and efficient parliament is the cornerstone of an effective and well-functioning democracy. The transformed and upgraded work of the Verkhovna Rada is essential to safeguarding the interests of Ukrainian citizens. Strengthening institutional capacity in managing the European affairs of the Verkhovna Rada will be our continuous contribution for a wider process of European reforms in Ukraine", said Andrej Plenković MEP, a leading Member in favour of parliamentary support and a capacity-building programme for the Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. Plenković was speaking at the closing ceremony of the European Parliament's (EP) Ukraine Week, a high-level conference which brought together 50 Members of the Verkhovna Rada, MEPs, representatives of EU national parliaments and civil society representatives this week.

"The EPP Group supports Ukraine in the adoption of the principles of the rule of law and democracy in order to promote European values for which many Ukrainians stood during the Revolution of Dignity", said Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. He stressed the importance of protecting Ukrainian sovereignty, territorial integrity and the implementation of the Minsk Agreement.

"The implementation of the Association Agreement should not be seen merely as a technical, administrative or technocratic process of harmonising the law. It is a revolutionary change of society, one that roots it out of old habits and introduces a new institutional architecture in the public sphere", underlined Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chairman responsible for foreign affairs and the European Parliament's Standing Rapporteur on Ukraine, explaining the challenges of implementing the acquis communautaire.

Plenković stressed that Ukraine is a key partner of the EU and that the European Parliament will allocate adequate funds for the implementation of the capacity-building programme. To this point, the meeting ended with the signature of an 'Administrative Cooperation Agreement' between the EP and the Verkhovna Rada - the first agreement of this kind signed between the EP and another parliament.