OREANDA-NEWS. October 07, 2013. Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov has met with a delegation of European Conservatives and Reformists group of the European Parliament consisting of MEPs: Martin Callanan, Pawel Kowal, Charles Tannock, Ryszard Czarnecki, Adam Bielan, Frank Barrett and Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Jan Tombinski.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister informed members of delegation on Ukraine's preparations for the Eastern Partnership Summit, which will be held in late November in Vilnius. According to him, there are significant changes in Ukraine that affected all spheres of the state. In particular, the Prime Minister drew attention to the progress of Ukraine in the Doing Business Ranking: our country has risen by about 40 positions in the ranking for three years. "This is a major breakthrough, although we realize that we are only at the beginning of the way," Mykola Azarov said.

At the same time Prime Minister said that Ukraine managed to pass the last period without loans: "At a time when other countries get credit of the IMF, Ukraine, on the contrary, payback only over the past three years. We have repaid more than UAH 10 bln and we have to repay a serious amount."

"We highly appreciate the support of a large group of European representatives of our efforts towards European integration. I think that the interaction of such a large country as Ukraine and the EU will be a major factor in stabilizing the situation in Europe," Mykola Azarov emphasized.
In turn, MEP, Chairman of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists of EP Martin Callanan stressed that he and his colleagues perceive Ukraine as an important European country. "Ukraine has a future as a European country. We hope that the Association Agreement will be signed as it is in the interests of both Ukraine and the EU," the European parliamentarian noted.