Ukraine's EU anti-corruption reforms 'are not just' to please Brussels, Belgian FM tells Kyiv
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Reforms on the rule of law and fighting corruption that the EU requires Kyiv to implement on its path to membership are primarily for Ukraine's own benefit, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot reminded during his Aug. 18 visit to Kyiv.
The comments follow months of Ukraine struggling to pass rule-of-law reforms in the parliament, failing to fulfill even one of the 10 points in the so-called Kachka-Kos plan, and potentially backsliding on at least one aspect of judicial reform.
"An independent judiciary, solid democratic institutions, bodies effectively able to fight corruption, these are not just reforms designed to please Brussels," Prevot said during a press conference alongside Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
While commending Ukraine's pursuit of reforms and EU membership during a war, Prevot reminded that the changes required are primarily for the benefit of Ukraine.
"They are reforms designed to protect citizens, reinforce trust, and make your country more resilient," Prevot said.
The minister went on to commend young people in Ukraine for their "democratic energy," and for "holding their institutions to account."
The day after Prevot's remarks, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) raided the office of President Volodymyr Zelensky's deputy chief of staff, among others.
The EU in July tied the Kachka-Kos reform plan to the disbursement of financial support, in an apparent bid to refocus Kyiv on tackling corruption and other rule-of-law concerns.
While Ukraine has so far unlocked only two of the six enlargement clusters — the to-do lists Kyiv must fulfill to fully align with the EU — it was formally provided with the rule-of-law criteria on June 15.
In late September or early October, the EU is expected to publish its annual reports on enlargement, which will provide a sense of how Ukraine is faring against those criteria.
