Kyiv, 6 March 2014 – Jan Tombinski, Head of the EU delegation to Ukraine, expressed full support to the new Ukrainian government and stated that the country and the new government are facing a multiplied crisis which is why it is vital, among other things, to ensure security and integrity and to establish trustful administration in Ukraine.
Shortly before the press conference, the Crimean Verkhovna Rada announced its decision to separate from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation. Commenting on the decision of the Crimean Verkhovna Rada, Mr. Tombinski cited article 73 of the Constitution of Ukraine according to which this can only be decided by an all-Ukrainian referendum.
As regards the DCFTA to be signed between Ukraine and the EU, Mr. Tombinski stressed that no provisions of the agreement are contradictory to EU-Russia cooperation in any field. DCFTA is an agreement based on the general WTO rules, to which Russia is a member.
Answering the question about possible changes to the DCFTA, Mr. Tombinski said that the association agreement has already been initialed by the parties and that re-negotiating further changes would take years.
It was also noted that the EU and IMF are now working in parallel on a financial assistance package which may include 11bn Euros to be provided to Ukraine as a microfinance loan and financial help in implementing a number of projects with the participation of EBRD and other potential donors. The assistance, he added, may be provided over a period of 7 years and is subject to Ukraine meeting certain pre-requisites.
Jan Tadeusz Tombinski is a Polish diplomat, head of the EU delegation to Ukraine since 2012. Mr. Tombinski worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland from 1998 to 2001, worked as Ambassador of Poland to Bosnia and Herzegovina and France, and occupied a number of other diplomatic positions. From 2007 to 2012 Mr. Tombinski worked as a Permanent Representative of Poland to the EU.
