Praise from Brussels. advancement of Ukraine and Moldova on the road to the EU

The yearly reports published by the European Commission on 4 November assessing the advancement of the candidate countries to the EU of Ukraine and Moldova gave a affirmative opinion, emphasizing the determination and consistency of both countries despite ongoing aggression and sustained Russian hybrid activities. In particular, the Chisinau has been highly rated, which, according to enlargement Commissioner Marty Kos, has "made the top advancement on integration".

The Commission considered that Ukraine, and Moldova have fulfilled the conditions essential to open 3 of the six negotiating clusters: "primary issues" (so-called "primary issues"). fundamentals), ‘external relations’ and ‘internal market’. She expected that by the end of the year both countries would be able to scope their readiness to open the another three. It has been stressed that the completion of the accession negotiations in 2028 is an ambitious objective, real only if reforms are accelerated – in the case of Ukraine primarily within the cluster fundamentals, especially in the area of the regulation of law.

The EC study confirms the affirmative dynamics of harmonisation of national law with acquis via Ukraine and Moldova. In order to keep it, the Chisinau will gotta introduce hard reforms, including administrative and systemic reforms, and Kiev will gotta address the issue of the regulation of law in particular. At the same time, only the soft criticism of Brussels in this respect can encourage the Ukrainian authorities to refrain from affirmative changes and to further attempts to limit the powers of anti-corruption institutions and media freedom.

Comment

• The Commission confirmed the crucial advancement of Ukraine, although the favourable wording of the study amazed the expert community. The successful completion of the screening process and the improvement of "road maps" on the regulation of law, public administration and democratic institutions, as well as an action plan for national minorities, were crucial for a affirmative evaluation. advancement was recorded in all 33 sections of the opinion, and no regression was found in any of them. This assessment contrasts with the concerns of NGOs, including shadow reportwhere attention has been paid to stagnation in the implementation of reforms in key areas of justice and fundamental rights (Chapters 23 and 24 in the alleged cluster). fundamentals). The EC study partially shared these concerns, but did not dominate its overall wording.
• Kiev's criticism concerns the areas of the regulation of law and the fight against corruption, in particular, attempts to reduce the prerogatives of anti-corruption bodies (see Ukraine: Elimination of the independency of anti-corruption services against affront at the top of power). Most likely only a fast correction of the rules (see Ukraine: ultimate Council restores independency of anti-corruption bodies) and the preparation of a "road map" of reforms in this area have avoided a negative assessment (derogation uncovering – backsliding). However, the EC pointed out that the political force on anti-corruption authorities did not vanish (see IP/10/73). Service vs. Service: fight for control over corruption in Ukraine), and called for their independency to be strengthened.Brussels besides expects, among another things, to supplement the vacancy in the Constitutional Court, to supply independent experts with access to the selection panel or to destruct the cancellation of cases due to the expiry of the pre-trial investigation period (the alleged Łozowy Amendment).
• The paper is simply a success of Ukraine, although the authorities have ignored the criticism it contains. President Volodymyr Zelenski stressed that this year's study has provided the best rating for Kiev since Ukraine became a candidate and called on the EU to remove artificial obstacles on the integration path. Omission of unfavorable comments and threat to the accession to the Hungarian veto (see Increase in Hungarian course towards Ukraine)gives emergence to the hazard that the restrained criticism of the EC may be perceived in Kiev as an authorisation for further obstruction of reforms. This may be confirmed by the prosecution's search with an NABU officer on the eve of publication of the study (without a warrant and utilizing force) and the adoption by the ultimate Council of Ukraine at first reading of a law limiting media freedom.
• Moldova has a chance to meet the conditions for beginning the remaining 3 negotiating clusters by the end of the year. The lowest level of preparation is recorded in the chapters on readiness to operate under free marketplace competition conditions, environmental (including environmental) and climate issues and the agricultural sector. They will be a key challenge for the government alongside the ever-distant changes in the justice strategy (the paper explicitly states that its quality must be improved). An unpopular improvement of local administration combined with a modification of the existing administrative division will besides be a hard task (limiting the number of alleged raions – units of higher local administration – and municipalities).