Ukraine has completed the implementation of the first phase of its action plan on visa liberalization with the EU.

The Verkhovna Rada at a meeting on Tuesday adopted the remaining four bills needed for the transition to the second (implementation) phase of the action plan to simplify the visa regime with the EU.

In particular, the parliament passed the bills on improving the protection of the rights of refugees, on the fight against corruption, on the activity of the ombudsperson on the protection of personal data, as well as on anti-discrimination in Ukraine.

Ukraine's interim president and Verkhovna Rada chairman, Oleksandr Turchynov, said the adoption of these laws would bring Ukraine closer to the introduction of the visa-free regime with the EU.

"Once a decision is made regarding the second phase of the simplified system, it means that the visa-free regime will be introduced by the end of this year," he said, when addressing MPs before the vote on these bills.