Yatseniuk: Opposition wants government to name grounds for signing cooperation memorandum with EEC

Batkivschyna faction leader Arseniy Yatseniuk has demanded that the government publish the directives for signing an agreement on cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and that a bill on the principles of Ukraine's home and foreign policy be adopted.

"President Viktor Yanukovych and the Party of Regions are only speaking about the European integration of Ukraine. The opposition believes that the memorandum [on deepening cooperation between Ukraine and the Eurasian Economic Commission] is drawing [Ukraine] into the Customs Union," he said at a meeting of the parliament's conciliatory council on Monday.

He said that the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union is to be announced on January 1, 2015.

"This date surprisingly coincides with the actual presidential elections in Ukraine," Yatseniuk said.

He said that this is a "reserve area for President Viktor Yanukovych, namely the Customs Union, which would guarantee him keeping himself and the Party of Regions in power."

"We have a few demands in this regard, firstly, the publishing of the directives that the prime minister received for signing a respective memorandum with the Customs Union. We want the president and the prime minister of Ukraine to report on the grounds for the signing of such a memorandum," Yatseniuk said.

He said that the opposition had introduced a draft law of amendments to the law on the principles of home and foreign policy, which states that "Ukraine supports integration into the European political, economic and legal space in order to gain membership of the European Union."

"In this connection, it bans Ukraine's participation in the Customs Union, as well as in any other international and national associations whose membership is contrary to the political and economic integration into the European Union," Yatseniuk said, citing the text of the bill.

"The adoption of this law will give a clear answer to the question" Where is Ukraine moving?" he said.