Failure to abolish MP immunity will hinder introduction of EU visa-free regime - Poroshenko

 “The EU sees this as a very important element of fighting corruption,” the President said. He noted that every political party in the governing coalition pledged to abolish immunity. President Poroshenko called on both the government and parliament to accelerate the fulfilment of the action plan on visa liberalization with the EU. He urged the government and parliament to ensure the implementation of the commitments undertaken by Ukraine on visa liberalization. Poroshenko said the EU expert mission has concluded that Ukraine has successfully fulfilled all the criteria of the second phase of visa liberalization action plan, specifically on border governance, document security, migration and asylum, and combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Poroshenko emphasized the importance of completing the stipulations of the action plan as the recommendations of the European Commission are still unfulfilled, specifically in combating corruption and organized crime, discrimination issues, and amendments to the Labour Code.