Representatives of the CPLR joined the conference "The Role of the Verkhovna Rada on the Path to Ukraine's Full Membership in the EU"

15 Apr, 2024

At the end of March, a conference “The Role of the Verkhovna Rada on the Path to Ukraine’s Full Membership in the EU” took place, which was organized by Internews Ukraine in cooperation with International IDEA and the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU. More than 130 representatives of the government, civil society, and the international community joined the discussion. Ihor Koliushko, Head of the Board of the Centre of Policy and Legal Reform, and Viktoriia Melnyk, coordinator of the CPLR’s European Integration area, participated in panel discussions.

In discussing the role of the Verkhovna Rada and the Government of Ukraine on the path to Ukraine’s full membership in the European Union, Ihor Koliushko highlighted the significance of the moment for implementing the reforms that are necessary not only for European integration, but first and foremost for the Ukrainian society. The Head of the Board also noted that, “Effective and rapid European integration is not possible without proper communication between the government and the society. If the society lacks adequate understanding or acceptance of reforms, this will eventually become evident in the context of European integration – and could lead to even more severe consequences”. Ihor Koliushko also called on the authorities to promote transparency of the European integration processes for the society and the public sector, despite the martial law, as well as to strengthen communication around the required reforms.

In discussing the inter-parliamentary dialogue with the European Parliament and parliaments of the EU member states, Victoriia Melnyk emphasized that finding synergy between the government, the parliament, and the civil society is centrally important for both reforms and the negotiation process on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.

“We need to look for more partners in the EU who are operating there on a permanent basis and can carry our messages further. This is an important partnership we need to build. To build sustainable support for Ukraine, we need to use every type of diplomacy to communicate with citizens and government representatives in the EU,” noted the coordinator of the CPLR’s European Integration area. Viktoriia Melnyk also shared that she observes a significant demand for expert diplomacy in Europe; thus, civil society efforts aimed at communicating with think tanks and institutions in the EU will have a significant influence and impact.