The draft Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union meets the standards of Ukrainian legislation and the Constitution of Ukraine, Ukrainian Justice Minister Olena Lukash has said.
“The draft agreement meets the standards of [Ukrainian] legislation and the constitution, and we hope that it can be signed,” she told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.
She said that any statements that the document is not consistent with legislation and the constitution are groundless and meaningless.
“When I hear such statements from people who do not have proper training, a legal education, I always want to ask them: ‘Who asked you to say that?'” Lukash said.
As reported, the deputy head of the Party of Regions faction in parliament, Oleh Tsariov, said in an interview with Forbes.ua on August 6 that six points of the Association Agreement with the EU contradict the Constitution of Ukraine.
“I have the conclusion of a law firm that six points in the association agreement are contrary to the Constitution of Ukraine. If a group of Party of Regions deputies files an appeal to the Constitutional Court, it will make a decision on the unconstitutionality of the agreement with the EU. The communists will join in such an appeal with pleasure,” he said.
“This does not mean that Ukraine will not be able to sign the association agreement. It will sign it, but only after the constitutional amendments are introduced, and it’s not a quick process,” Tsariov added.
The MP also said that if Kyiv refuses to sign the Association Agreement, Russia would propose opening a credit swap for Ukraine.
“What does this mean? Ukraine transfers, for example, $15 billion in hryvnia equivalent to Russia, and Russia sends the same amount to Ukraine in Russian rubles. Ukraine will be able to use these rubles as payment for gas, while keeping the other currency. It’s not necessary to pay interest on this loan,” he said.
Tsariov also called “do not forget that before the election in 2015 it’s important to get a loan in order to properly get through the election campaign.”
As reported, Kyiv hopes to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November 2013.
