Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze outlined three components of successful European integration

The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze took part in the Re:Open Zakarpattia forum. During the discussion about the European Commission's recommendation to open negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU and further steps in this direction, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze mentioned three components of a successful European integration process.

Firstly, institutional capacity is necessary. “We have to invest in people, in professionals, in the reform of public administration to ensure that we have the capacities and can achieve declared goals,” said the Chair of the Committee.

Secondly, credit of trust from Ukrainians and European partners is needed. “We’ve got high support for European integration in Ukraine — more than 85%. We should understand that this is very emotional support, based on the hope for the best future. An important task is to preserve this support,” Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze believes. It is also crucial to maintain external trust, the trust of partners who are ready to welcome Ukraine as part of the European Union.

Thirdly, it is important not to focus purely on economic integration, but to pay serious attention to the political component. This is the basis of the European Union, the essence of the Copenhagen criteria, which EU members must meet. Even under martial law, one may not forget about democratic values, which are the foundation of the European Union and must be respected. It is about freedom of speech, free media and preserving reforms that Ukraine has already implemented. “If we are not able to preserve what the Armed Forces are fighting for, we may face a serious problem of declining support for our country,” said the Chair of the Committee.