MOSCOW, December 04, 16:29 /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s refusal to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union proceeds from Brussels’ policy, Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Mikhail Margelov said on Wednesday.
“Brussels', not Russia’s pressure made Kiev to refuse to sign the Association Agreement in Vilnius,” Margelov said.
“Ukraine has been muddled with any mini-state for which membership in the European Union means make history. Brussels’ bureaucrats believe that the Association with the European Union is a honor for the post-Soviet country. They think that just anyone sees it agrees to subordinate to Brussels without any influence upon decision-making,” the legislator said.
“I had to read about benefits of the Customs Union with figures and grounds. But I failed to know something about prosperity of the Ukrainian economy due to be associated with the European Union,” he said, adding “I’m sure let it be late the Ukrainian government has two lists of figures — ‘pro’ and ‘against’ the hasty Association.”
“Now we face the IMF’s hair-splitting — gas prices rise and the ban on free trade with the CIS. There is a danger that some industries can be stopped,” he said.
Moreover, Margelov considers these steps “warm-up” by relying on “EU new entries”. “I don’t accuse anyone. But these new entries are only sales outlets,” the legislator said.
He believes that protest actions on Independence Square in Kiev were linked with the fact that the Association Agreement with the European Union “remains a kind of a dream with European stereotypes and living standards.