Ukraine passes four bills required for its EU accession
- 10 December, 02:55
The Ukrainian parliament on Friday passed four bills required for starting its European Union accession talks. The laws are related to Ukraine's fight against corruption and the updated law on national minorities required for the country's accession to the European Union.
“We expect that Ukraine’s efforts will be duly appreciated by leaders of the European Union and the corresponding European promises to Ukraine will be fulfilled,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. He stressed that Kyiv had “done everything expected of us” in taking on EU recommendations.
The bills are related to Ukraine’s fight against corruption and including staff increases in the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, additional power for the National Agency on Corruption Prevention on assets checks, and provisions on public declaration of assets. The other bill has to do with minority rights and was demanded by Hungary, which opposes Ukraine's EU bid. Zelenskiy said the minority rights law had considered recommendations from the Council of Europe's Venice Commission,
An EU summit next week will decide whether to start negotiations on membership with Ukraine and neighbouring Moldova, which has been supporting Kyiv since the start of Russia’s full-fledged invasion last year.
