After leaving the CIS, Ukraine will lose a visa-free regime, a free trade zone with Russia and much more - expert
Moscow – Kyiv, May 28 (Navigator, Mikhail Stamm) – The SBU denied the statement of the head of the National Security and Defense Council Andrey Parubiy about Kyiv’s intention to leave the CIS. Nevertheless, such a possibility exists. Vladimir Zharikhin, an expert at the Institute of CIS Countries, told the RG how this threatens Ukraine.
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If the Ukrainian authorities nevertheless decide to leave the CIS, then this political gesture will harm the interests of millions of Ukrainians, the expert believes. He recalled that, for example, the visa-free regime between countries operates within the framework of the general CIS agreement, and the existing agreement on the visa-free regime will need to be renegotiated. “There will be problems associated, for example, with the mutual recognition of work experience upon retirement, higher education diplomas, academic degrees, and medical care for citizens,” continues Zharikhin.
“We shouldn’t forget about the CIS free trade zone,” he noted. – When the previous Ukrainian authorities were going to sign an association agreement with the European Union, they had the idea of creating a free trade zone with the European Union and at the same time remaining in such a CIS zone. In this case, Ukraine would turn into a huge “duty free” with a flow of goods in both directions. Naturally, Moscow made it clear that this would not work. But be that as it may: if Kyiv now leaves the Commonwealth, then it will also leave the free trade zone. And this does not depend on what agreements Ukraine ultimately reaches with the European Union.”
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