Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister for European integration Olena Zerkal says that the Dutch government will table the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in the Senate after March 15, 2017, for ratification, according to Hromadske.TV.
”As for the Senate – the Senate [the upper chamber of the parliament] does not participate in the [2017 Dutch general] vote [to elect all 150 members of the House of Representatives]. Simultaneously with the plan presented by Dutch Prime Minister [Mr. Mark] Rutte, he will submit proposals to the Senate for the support of a decision on the ratification after the elections, after March 15, as this issue is rather politicized. Although one can say that 43-44 out of the 75 Senate members are now ready to back the ratification,” Zerkal told Hromadske.TV.
The Dutch government also estimated that about 90-91 members of the House of Representatives could vote in favor of the ratification of the deal between the EU and Ukraine.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the Dutch government on December 16 approved a draft law for ratification by Parliament of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Rutte said that the bill was to be approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The endorsement of this bill came a day after EU leaders had agreed to the demands of the Netherlands on the Ukraine-EU deal. In particular, they relate to the fact that Ukraine will not achieve EU membership automatically, there will be no military cooperation, and the Ukrainians will not enjoy quick employment in the EU member states.
Ukraine`s Foreign Ministry earlier said it hoped that the lower chamber of the Dutch parliament would complete the ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement as early as in January 2017.
