The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has called absurd the blocking by pro-Russian party groups in the European Parliament of the extension of the regime of the EU's autonomous trade preferences for Ukraine under the simplified procedure in a European Parliament committee.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyinis said at a briefing in Kyiv on Oct. 8 that Russia had recently conducted its propaganda campaign in the world, trying to manipulate the consciousness of the international community.
According to the ministry, in the last few weeks some countries in Europe and North America have held a series of not numerous anti-Ukrainian events – rallies near Ukrainian embassies, photo exhibitions, as well as in Russian galleries and embassies.
‘All of them pursued one goal – the spread of Russian propaganda, which is based on distorted facts, blatant lies and misinformation,’ Perebyinis said.
He also said: ‘The last bright example is the blocking yesterday [on Oct. 7] of the issue of extending the regime of the EU’s autonomous trade preferences for Ukraine under the simplified procedure in the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade.’
Perebyinis said that this decision had been blocked by representatives of some small party groups in the European Parliament, which adhere to the pro-Russian position.
‘We have a rather interesting and absurd situation – Russia, in words, is allegedly seeking the formalization of the transfer of provisional application, but in deeds – its friends are blocking this decision,’ he said.
At the same time, he said he was confident that the usual procedure for the consideration of this issue would be conducted rather quickly and expressed hope that the European Parliament would take a positive decision at a plenary session in Strasbourg on Oct. 20-23.
