The Customs Union is a model of conservation of the past. Consequently, no reforms are needed for Ukraine's membership of the Customs Union and there are no criteria to be complied with, Ukrainian expert Oleg Rybachuk said when replying to ArmInfo's question in his online interview.
"Meanwhile, the European Union has demonstrated in practice that reforms in economy and governance inevitably improve the living standards of the citizens and enhance the competitiveness of business. Unlike Moscow, whose words have nothing to do with its actions, the West is taking decisions based on legitimacy only. I wouldn't say western countries and structures passively respond to the developments in Ukraine", he said.
According to Rybachuk, the U.S. Department of State has already imposed sanctions on a number of Ukrainian officials. During the Jan 22 briefing of the Ukrainian Government, European ambassadors organized a public demarche. Rybachuk said that the EU is also technically and politically ready to support the use of sanctions against the Ukrainian officials. Most of these officials have both residences and offices and keep big funds in the banking system of the European Union.
The joint online press conferences of experts for the Armenian and Azerbaijani mass media are organized under the project aimed at enlarging the knowledge of Armenians and Azeris about each other and establishing mutual confidence via first-hand information. The project of the Region Research Center (Armenia) and Institute of Peace and Democracy (Azerbaijan) is supported by the British Embassies in Armenia and Azerbaijan.