STRASBOURG, June 26. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine will start implementing the provisions of the Association Agreement with the European Union immediately after its signing scheduled for June 27. Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko stated this in his speech before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

“I’m asked about my reforms. All of them can be found in the agreement. We will immediately start implementing the provisions included in the agreement,” he pledged.

On European integration

Petro Poroshenko expressed the view that his country should get hope for EU membership. “My task is to carry out the reforms necessary for that,” the Ukrainian leader said. “I have travelled across the country and seen peace loving people with friendly attitude to Europe,” the president said. Noteworthy that Poroshenko was speaking in Ukrainian, but not in the working language of the Council of Europe.

 

On the situation in the country’s south-east

Speaking about the confrontation in the south-east of Ukraine, the country’s leader informed that “the hostages and injured people are counting hundreds”. Poroshenko assured the parliamentarians that “Ukrainian border guards are barring heavy equipment from getting through the border”. Meanwhile, he admitted that “it is impossible to block the Russian-Ukrainian border by military means”.

“I would like to ask Russia once again to support the peace plan in actions; to make so that the equipment does not cross the border illegally. The people of Ukraine do not want war. Ukraine remains integral and united,” the Ukrainian president stated.

Poroshenko also pledged that on June 27, when the term of unilateral ceasefire expires, to make “a very important decision” regarding the situation in the south-east. However, he declined to comment on what decision it would be.

In response to a question about the prospects of preserving the truce, Poroshenko noted that “tomorrow is the last chance”. “As of now, I have a report that came literally half an hour ago from their (federalization supporters’) side confirming their intention to take part (in a meeting) 12 hours before the (truce) term and the ceasefire expire,” Poroshenko said.

On Wednesday, June 25, the Russian ambassador to Ukraine, the former Ukrainian president and the OSCE representative agreed to hold a trilateral meeting but ‘the separatists’, as Poroshenko said, refused to send their representatives. Now, the federalization supporters have confirmed their intention to participate in the meeting.

 

On the introduction of the second state language

Petro Poroshenko said he would by no means allow introduction of a second state language in the country.

“Cost what it may, but there won’t be any changes. There are certain issues that are not discussable,” the president told deputies of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Among these issues he mentioned “a unitary state” and “the existing language system with one official language”.

Poroshenko pointed, however, to a possibility of fixing regional languages in unlimited numbers.

 

On the ban on the Communist Party

Poroshenko positively assessed the prospects of banning the Communist Party in case it did not gain support of voters. “I believe we’ve made a correct step regarding the ban of the Communist Party,” he said. However, the Ukrainian leader noted that the most ‘democratic way’ regarding specific political parties lies in the elections. “If the Communist Party does not have any support from its backers, this is the most democratic way to avoid bloodshed and violence, which took place at the Maidan,” he said. Poroshenko mentioned the need to hold early parliamentary elections, so that all regions would get representation in the Verkhovna Rada.

Commenting on the results of presidential elections, on which part of the votes went to candidates backing neo-Nazi ideas, Poroshenko drew the attention of European lawmakers to the fact that the support of radically oriented politicians did not exceed 2%. “This mean that the society is sound,” he stated.