Mathernová says reforms in Ukraine have slowed down over past six months

As part of its accession process to the European Union, Ukraine has already implemented complex, long-term institutional reforms in the areas of the rule of law and anti-corruption.

This was stated by Katarina Mathernová, EU Ambassador to Ukraine, during a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Having worked for 10 years with Ukraine and having worked with virtually all of the other countries that are candidate countries right now, I think that on the rule of law and anti-corruption – the most sensitive areas – the long-term institutional difficult things have been done in Ukraine. We have few areas where things need to continue and to be done, but they are not dramatically difficult, what they require is political will,” the diplomat said.

Mathernová expressed hope that the European Union would be able to convey to stakeholders and the public in member states that Ukraine has implemented many reforms over the past 10 years.

At the same time, she noted a slowdown in reforms in Ukraine over the past six months. According to the EU Ambassador, some reforms “are going to be painful because they are going to be about loss of control.” However, she said she was convinced that Ukraine’s integration into the EU would be achieved, “but it will take some bravery, some sacrifice and some decisions to do it” from the Ukrainian authorities and lawmakers.

As Ukrinform previously reported, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said that the EU is currently unable to name a specific accession date for Ukraine, but acknowledges the country’s significant progress in implementing reforms during wartime.