President demands proper implementation of agreements reached at EU-Ukraine summit

President Viktor Yanukovych demands that the government ensure the proper implementation of the agreements reached at the EU-Ukraine summit that took place in Brussels on Monday.

"The course for European integration remains the top priority in Ukraine's foreign policy. The 16th EU-Ukraine summit brought our relations with the EU to a new level of political association and economic integration. At the summit we outlined the further steps to be taken by Ukraine before the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November. I demand from the government to ensure the proper implementation of the agreements that were reached with the leadership of the European Council and the European Commission. We must exert maximum effort for signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement at the Eastern Partnership summit," Yanukovych said at the government's extended meeting on Wednesday. At the same time, he reiterated his earlier statements about the need for Ukraine "to actively search for a mutually acceptable model of cooperation with the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union". The President said that the government's reform efforts would be under his "tight control". "I warn everyone that I will supervise each decision that the government makes and I will see to it that each normative act corresponds with the objectives and spirit of reform. Any attempts to emasculate the essence of reform, evade responsibility, or keep corruption loopholes in place will be punished very severely," Yanukovych said. He stressed the need to step up reform efforts and improve the system of governance. "We have to admit that we underestimated the scale and reactive force of bureaucratic resistance, red tape practices, and other obstacles to the country's development. The government must duly assess and address them," the President said.