Why did the president go to Malta?

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko visited the island state of Malta. He arrived there at the invitation of the President of the European People’s Party, Joseph Share. The visit lasted from 29 to 30 March. The official visit of the President of Ukraine coincides with the two-day congress of the European People’s Party. ProGolovne tried to understand: what was the reason of his trip?

Why did he go to Malta?

As for today, this is the country, which presides over the EU. So, the decision to grant Ukraine a visa-free regime in many ways depends on Malta. It is clear that all EU countries will vote on this issue. But in order to put the question into the vote, to prepare it, – this is also important and necessary.

What role does ENP play here?

Even the European National Party can be called “ruling” in the EU, even though they do not like such epithets. Nevertheless, representatives of this political force are headed by the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European Council. Plus 16 national governments. In addition, the party has one of the largest factions in the European Parliament. In general, this is the most powerful of the existing parties to date.

But there is an interesting moment – the partners of the ENP in Ukraine are Batkivshchyna and Yulia Tymoshenko. At one time, it was the representatives of the ENP who actively sought the release of Tymoshenko from prison. And Yulia Tymoshenko is now the key rival of the president inside the country. Thus, the president can try to agree on the submission of Ukraine to the ENP with his party, for example, Solidarity. Or, as an option, any other, especially under this created, instead of  “Fatherland”, in which, there is nothing actually. Another partner of the ENP in Ukraine is the “Strike” by Vitali Klitschko, who may decide to reanimate this case. In the end, the BPP and “Punch” in the election was actually the same set of sponsors.

And, finally, the main point?

In addition, Poroshenko had the opportunity to talk informally with the head of the European Council Donald Tusk. And also he got acquainted personally with the new head of the European Parliament – Antonio Tajani. With the latter, the president also probably was talking about visa-free regime. A vote on visa-free travel in the European Parliament is expected to happen in April, and it is important to understand the position of the local leadership.

But here is one more problem – question with e-declaration is similarly connected with the visa-free status. Amendments to anti-corruption, disruptions in the work of the site most likely that the guarantor had to answer uncomfortable questions. Because e-declaration was traditionally called a requirement for visa-free travel, then for further lending to Ukraine.

In addition, there was an opportunity to meet with Angela Merkel. And if such a meeting had really happened, surely it was about the Donbass. The fact is that Merkel has recently returned from the US, and is going to Moscow soon. This is the only opportunity to find out what our partners are thinking on these issues in personal conversation.

By the way, the president is not the only Ukrainian politician who went there. Once a pilgrimage was organized for the inauguration of Trump. Now Malta is the destination. Here are: the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, and Mikhail Saakashvili, and even Arseniy Yatsenyuk. What are they doing there is not very clear, and there are no a press releases with landmark decisions about the results of the meeting. And this is normal, because this meeting is backstage. Nevertheless, most likely in the near future we will see the consequences of these behind-the-scenes meetings in the form of concrete decisions of the president and legislative initiatives.

Photos taken from open sources facebook.com