Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has instructed the government to inform the public and manufacturers about the strong and weak sides of the Association Agreement, including a free trade area with the EU.
“Of course, today one should answer why the process of signing the Association Agreement, including a free trade area, was suspended. We took a pause in order to find an answer to a very important question – on what terms we are signing the free trade agreement. The government that cooperates with manufacturers’ unions, experts, and scientists today has to answer this question,” he said in an interview with the Ukrainian media on Thursday.
“I asked the government to organize this work transparently with the participation of manufacturers, the public, the media, and all participants of this discussion should be given a chance to see both the benefits and drawbacks of this agreement. This is the work that was not carried out in time… I think the government should present its report at parliamentary hearings – that’s what I proposed at the roundtable meeting – and explain why the public, and especially manufacturers’ unions whom this agreement will affect, were unaware of any terms. The people were unaware of this agreement,” Yanukovych said, adding that the issue is very important, as it is about the future of the country and its economy.
“And when we can see that such terms suit us and are beneficial to us, as we are protecting national interests here, then of course we will take a positive decision. And if during this work we have to fulfill a part of it in trilateral format – for example, we have some agreements with the EU and Russia to discuss some of the issues in trilateral format – we will do so,” the head of state said.
