- Title: Croatia to help Ukraine approximate laws to EU
- Date: 21st November 2016
- Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (NOVEMBER 21, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER, ANDREJ PLENKOVIC, SHAKING HANDS WITH UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER, VOLODYMYR GROYSMAN, BOTH WALKING AWAY TO TAKE SEATS PLENKOVIC LISTENING GROYSMAN SPEAKING CROATIAN DELEGATION DURING MEETING SEAL ON TABLE VARIOUS OF CROATIAN ECONOMY MINISTER, MARTINA DALIC, AND CHIEF OF UKRAINIAN STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE, MYKOLA CHECHOTKIN, SIGNING AGREEMENT PLENKOVIC WATCHING DALIC AND CHECHOTKIN SHAKING HANDS AND EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS AS DELEGATES APPLAUD MEMBERS OF UKRAINIAN DELEGATION WATCHING NEWS CONFERENCE BY PLENKOVIC AND GROYSMAN (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) PRIME MINISTER OF CROATIA, ANDREJ PLENKOVIC, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "As the youngest member of the European Union, today we offered (Ukraine) our recent know-how which may help in the process of Ukraine's association with the European Union. We went through a long process and our specialists are well-prepared and at this meeting we offered our counseling assistance in approximating the legislation which will be necessary." GROYSMAN LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) PRIME MINISTER OF CROATIA, ANDREJ PLENKOVIC, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "In this regard, I would like to say that Croatia helps a lot in the process of granting visa-free for Ukrainian citizens. (PAUSE FOR TRANSLATION) And in my opinion, the EU must take this decision as soon as possible." MEMBERS OF CROATIAN DELEGATION LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER, VOLODYMYR GROYSMAN, SAYING: "Today we discussed the progress in our cooperation, agreed that we will have a joint inter-governmental commission which will deal with trade and economy issues and we will clearly determine spheres where we will deepen our cooperation." MEMBERS OF CROATIAN DELEGATION LISTENING PLENKOVIC AND GROYSMAN SHAKING HANDS
- Embargoed: 6th December 2016 11:35
- Keywords: Ukraine Kiev Volodymyr Groysman Andrej Plenkovic meeting agreement Croatia
- Location: KIEV, UKRAINE
- City: KIEV, UKRAINE
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00159DZTBT
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: During his first official visit to Ukraine on Monday (November 21), Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said that they were ready to share their experience and provide Ukraine with necessary assistance in approximating the country's legislation with European Union requirements.
"As the youngest member of the European Union, today we offered (Ukraine) our recent know-how which may help in the process of Ukraine's association with the European Union. We went through a long process and our specialists are well-prepared and at this meeting we offered our counseling assistance in approximating the legislation which will be necessary."
Plenkovic assured he supported a visa-free agreement for Ukrainian citizens by the EU.
"In this regard, I would like to say that Croatia helps a lot in the process of granting visa-free regime for the Ukrainian citizens. And to my mind, the EU must take this decision as soon as possible."
Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, has fostered closer ties with the EU since Moscow annexed its Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014 and started backing rebels fighting Kiev's troops in the east of the country.
Many difficulties to progress remain, not least Ukraine's sluggish fight against endemic corruption and the EU's caution on immigration after the arrival of about 1.3 million refugees and migrants in 2015, mainly from the Middle East and North Africa.
But, a week before an EU-Ukraine summit on Nov. 24, EU states gave their conditional backing to allowing Ukrainians to travel visa-free to the bloc for short visits.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said Plenkovic's visit to Ukraine marked new stage of cooperation between the two countries. The two sides agreed to deepen political and economical cooperation and signed a number of bilateral agreements during the meeting.
"Today we discussed the progress in our cooperation, agreed that we will have a joint inter-governmental commission which will deal with trade and economy issues and we will clearly determine spheres where we will deepen our cooperation," Groysman said.
He added that the two countries would also hold joint session in military issues which would help to find priorities in cooperation.
Ukrainian and Croatian businessmen will participate in a joint business forum later on Monday to develop relations between the two businesses. Plenkovic is due to meet Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko later on Monday.
It's the first-ever visit by Croatian Prime Minister to Ukraine within the past 25 years since Ukraine gained independence in 1991. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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