Ukraine to transfer part of its powers to EU and change constitution
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk (Photo: Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine is preparing for a large-scale review of the Constitution due to its future accession to the European Union. A certain portion of state powers will have to be transferred directly to EU bodies, according to Ukrinform.
The path to the European community requires serious legal work with Ukraine's fundamental law, stated the head of the Verkhovna Rada. The country will have to review numerous legal provisions, as this is the standard path for all candidate countries.
The main goal is to introduce a vast layer of relations with the European Union into the legal framework. After hostilities end, the state must rethink fundamental issues.
First and foremost, this concerns the system of national security and defense. The role of the Armed Forces in the life of the country needs to be clarified, and the authorities also plan to review the guarantees of Ukrainians' rights and freedoms, the Speaker said.
The future amendments will affect the following areas:
- National defense system;
- Functions and status of the Armed Forces;
- Mechanisms for the protection of citizens' rights;
- Adaptation of legislation to EU standards.
"By joining the European Union, we must understand that we will be transferring a certain number of powers to its bodies. Therefore, this must also be reflected in the Constitution of Ukraine," Ruslan Stefanchuk explained.
The authorities do not intend to make decisions behind closed doors. Stefanchuk insists on involving the public, as such a major reform must result from open dialogue. While martial law is in effect, it is impossible to amend the Constitution, but preparations are already underway.
"I see this as general outlines that, after the end of martial law, must be very seriously discussed in Ukrainian society and, perhaps, will be incorporated into the Constitution of Ukraine in the near future," the Speaker of Parliament summarised.
Ukraine received EU candidate status in June 2022. Currently, the process of screening Ukrainian legislation for compliance with European standards is ongoing. This is a mandatory stage before the start of actual membership negotiations.
What else is known about Ukraine's EU accession process
The European Commission is working on a plan that would provide special benefits to candidate countries for EU membership. Ukraine may also receive special bonuses.
Also, several weeks ago, the EU officially opened the first negotiation cluster, Fundamentals, for Ukraine as part of the accession process.
Meanwhile, Poland is demanding that Ukraine's EU entry be blocked. This is again due to the issue of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
