Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Eduard Stavytsky has said he hopes that the signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union scheduled for the end of November will accelerate the process of the opening of the Slovak gas corridor and give impetus to the development of joint projects in energy.

According to an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, the minister said this at the round table dedicated to cooperation in energy between Ukraine and the countries of the Visegrad Four (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary), which was held in Kyiv on November 13.

"Our goal is to sign the Association Agreement in Vilnius at the summit of the Eastern Partnership. This will enable us to accelerate all the issues related to the Energy Charter. I mean not only the second energy package, but the third one, and this will allow us to expand our mutual opportunities in the energy sector," he said.

According to the minister, the signing of the Association Agreement will also enhance mutual opportunities and cooperation between Ukraine and the EU not only in gas issues but in the electricity sector.

"There are a lot of other projects related to electric power issues. This is, first of all, increased electricity exports from Ukraine to Europe. We are mulling several projects, they are being worked on at the level of ad hoc groups with investors. I'm sure that the Eastern Partnership summit, at which, I think, the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU will be signed, will give a new impetus to achieving this purpose, namely the expansion and liberalization of the energy market of Ukraine," said Stavytsky.