Batkivschyna, Svoboda factions in Ukrainian Rada demand immediate EU association deal ratification

14:45, 02.07.2014 1 min read

The Ukrainian parliamentary factions of the Batkivschyna and Svoboda parties demand President Petro Poroshenko submit the association agreement with the EU to the Verkhovna Rada for ratification without delay.

"Our factions are asking for the ratification document to be immediately passed to the parliament," Borys Tarasiuk of the Batkivschyna faction said at the Rada's morning session on Wednesday.

Oleh Tiahnybok, the leader of the Svoboda faction, said that, apart from ratifying the association agreement, the two factions insist on immediately passing 15 other bills. Among them are draft resolutions on revoking the visa-free agreement between the Ukrainian and Russian governments, on severing diplomatic ties between Ukraine and Russia, on suspending accreditation of Russian media outlets in Ukraine, and on a moratorium on imports of Russian-made military products.

Tiahnybok said also that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt an appeal to the United Nations and the Council of Europe to expel Russia from these organizations.