Ukraine risks losing its visa-free regime with Schengen Area countries and 1.5 billion financial support from the EU, after its government’s decision to appoint a commission that does not meet legal criteria to select candidates for the positions of the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
European Union officials have raised their concerns regarding the latest decision of the Verkhovna Rada, who voted to appoint seven out of 11 members to the commission that will choose the new leader of SAPO, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Ukraine not only risks losing the visa-free regime, but also the financial support of 1.5 billion euros as aid that would help recover the economic sector from the damages caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
According to the member of European Parliament and vice-chair of the delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, this move “undermines basic European standards”.
“While the international community is occupied with Belarus, Ukraine’s government is hastily pushing candidates lacking experience and integrity to select (the) SAPO head. This will not fly,” von Cramon-Taubadel tweeted on September 17.
Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Action Center, a non-governmental organization also said that some of the members of the commission that will choose SAPO’s new chief do not have sufficient experience in anti-corruption issues, and do not meet legal requirements; therefore their appointment is illegal.
The United States Embassy in Ukraine has also reacted, pointing out that it is taking note of the Ukrainian government’s latest move.
“The European Union and the United States take note of the Ukrainian parliament’s decision to appoint members to the commission to choose the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor. The commission needs to embark on a transparent process with candidates’ integrity and merits at its core. Our further support will depend upon it,” the statement of the US’ Embassy reads.
However, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the possible abolition of the visa-free regime are rumours, while he stressed that the commission would choose a professional SAPO leader.
“I fully share their opinions. I think it can’t be done in any other way,” Zelensky pointed out.
Last week, the head of the Servant of the People party, David Arakhamia, also called the abolition of the visa-free regime rumours.
“I will only respond to letters. There are no letters from anyone, neither from the lawmaker nor from the (European) Parliament,” he emphasized.
But, Viola von Cramon-Taubadel tweeted telling him to listen to the EU message because the consequences won’t be good.
Von Cramon-Taubadel urged Ukraine to protect its anti-corruption agencies, so the country does not lose its visa-free regime with the EU.
In May, the Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) Katarína Mathernová clarified that European Union was not looking into revising Ukraine’s visa-free regime to the Schengen Zone, after rumours that such a thing could happen.