Ukraine ratifies key EU association deal

2014/9/16 15:26:12

MPs in the Ukrainian and European parliaments ratified the 1,200-page political and economic association agreement during a live video metting that began at 10:00 GMT.

 

The two sides decided to bow to Russian pressure and delay applying the free-trade rules that pulled Ukraine out of a rival union being built by the Kremlin. Therefore, the key element of the agreement has been postponed until 2016.

 


From Aljazeera 16, September 2014

 

Members of the Ukrainian parliament have ratified an agreement with the EU, moving their country towards the West over half a year after its pro-Russian leader was overthrown from power as a result of mass anti-government protests.

 

Parliament has also passed a law that will give "special status" to the separatist eastern regions, including a degree of self-governance for a three-year period, parliamentary deputies who attended Tuesday's closed session told the Reuters news agency.

 

A second law that was passed would grant an amnesty to separatists who were involved in recent fighting with government forces, the deputies reportedly said.

 

The development comes as a ceasefire agreement with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, signed earlier this month in the Belarusian capital Minsk, has been riddled with violations from the start.

 

For full text, Link below

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/ ... al-20149169594305138.html

 

photo courtesy of article source

 

 

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