KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s top official for Europe says the war-torn country is on an “irreversible” course of Western integration after the European Union agreed to formally start entry negotiations this week.
The decision to launch accession talks this week is a “big day” for her country, Olga Stefanishyna, the deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, said.
“This is the utmost will of the Ukrainian people. And this is the irreversibility. And you’ve seen Ukrainians stand up for their choice,” Stefanishyna said, speaking in Kyiv Sunday.
It was her first interview since being appointed chief negotiator for EU accession.
EU member countries agreed Friday to start entry talks with Ukraine and Moldova – overcoming vocal opposition from Hungary which takes over the EU’s rotating presidency on July 1. The process of joining varies for each country but could take years. Turkey started its accession talks almost two decades ago and is still waiting for full membership.
Stefanishyna will head the opening of the accession talks in Luxembourg Tuesday, joined by several top government officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to give a speech at the launch ceremony, but Stefanishyna did not elaborate whether he would do so in person or online.
Zelenskyy described Friday’s decision as a “historic step,” adding in an online post: “Generations of our people are realizing their European dream. Ukraine is returning to Europe.
A survey of opinion polling by the European Parliament earlier this year suggested that EU citizens broadly back Ukraine’s membership bid but are less supportive of fast-tracking the process.
Ukraine, Stefanishyna said, was not seeking special treatment.
“Ukraine is moving fast,” she said, “without skipping any elements of the process (and) without asking (for) any discount.”
Russia has used economic pressure and ultimately military force to try and reverse the aspirations of its former Soviet neighbor to join Western alliances it regards as hostile.
Deadly protests a decade ago to demand that the government stick to a pledge to forge closer ties with the EU put the country on a collision course with Russia.
“It’s a big day for everybody,” said Stefanishyna, who frequently showed emotion while describing the integration process. “It has been around two years since Ukraine applied for membership. The war is still raging on, but the accession is starting right now.”
Stefanishyna, a 38-year-old lawyer who has worked in civil service and government positions since her early twenties, will lead Ukraine’s 35-member delegation for negotiations with the EU.
In 2019, Ukraine changed its constitution to include those aspirations and formally applied to join the EU on Feb. 28, 2022 – five days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Bordering EU members Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania, Ukraine would overtake France to become the largest member of the bloc if it joined, shifting its center of gravity further eastward.
Together with Moldova, it’s in a long line with other candidates – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey – some with membership aspirations spanning decades.
Ukraine is hoping to join by 2030.
While praised for making progress since its application, Ukraine must carry out dozens of institutional and legal reforms required for membership. The daunting list is led by steps to combat corruption, and includes broad reforms to public administration, the judiciary, and market rules.
More than 1000 people in Ukraine are already involved in the accession process which will proceed without a summer break.
“The next half a year will be crucial for our key negotiators,” she said, adding that Ukraine needs to come up with a clear reform roadmap.
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine's deputy prime minister, poses for a picture during an interview with The Associated Press in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 23, 2024. Ukraine’s top official for Europe, Stefanishyna, says the war-torn country is on an “irreversible” course of Western integration after the European Union agreed to formally start entry negotiations this week. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko)
Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine's deputy prime minister, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 23, 2024. Ukraine’s top official for Europe, Stefanishyna, says the war-torn country is on an “irreversible” course of Western integration after the European Union agreed to formally start entry negotiations this week. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko)
Iranians are voting on Friday to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a May helicopter crash in the country's northwest along with the foreign minister and several other officials.
Analysts broadly describe the race as a three-way contest. There are two hard-liners, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and the parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. Then there’s the reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, who has aligned himself with those seeking a return to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
After record-low turnout in recent elections, it remains unclear how many Iranians will take part in Friday’s poll.
While 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, presidents can bend Iran toward confrontation or negotiations with the West.
Currently:
— As Iran’s presidential vote looms, tensions boil over regarding a renewed headscarf crackdown.
— An analysis explores how no matter who wins Iran’s election, much may hinge for Tehran on the ‘Great Satan,’ the United States.
— A “Hamster” cryptocurrency craze gripping Iran highlights its economic malaise.
— A timeline explores the longtime tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
— Iran’s imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who already called for a boycott of the vote, is been sentenced to another year in prison.
— Follow AP’s coverage of the Iranian presidential election at https://apnews.com/hub/iran.
Here is the latest:
As Iranian state TV showed people lined up to vote, most of the polling stations The Associated Press visited in early hours of voting — mostly on the north side of Tehran — were not crowded.
Mahmoud Darrehei, a 49-year-old teacher, said he voted for heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian, the only reformist candidate in the race. “This is the first time I've voted since 2005," adding that he saw Pezeshkian as able to solve problems caused by years of hard-line governments.
At another polling station, Maryam Aalipour, 32, a mother of two clad head-to-toe in a black veil, said she voted for hard-line former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. “He is the cleanest candidate in the election. He knows all problems of the country and he is able to resist the U.S. pressures," she said.
Aria Rahimi, a 37-year-old who runs in a shop in Tehran's upmarket Mandela Street, said he voted for Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of parliament. “I voted for Qalibaf before opening the shop," he said. "We need a president who has experience in managing some important body like parliament or police. Qalibaf is the best among them in this regard."
As voters cast ballots in Iran’s presidential election, some are sharing their thoughts with The Associated Press.
Toosi, who gave only his first name, said he would cast his ballot for someone “who listens to the leader, is revolutionary and is loyal to the principles of the revolution.”
"Someone who’s not focused on the West, but focusing on our domestic capacities, on our youth," he added. “Someone who is obsessed about the people and has plans for future and has a very good track record.”
Toosi’s comments tracked with what others supporting a hard-line view have said in the campaign.
Another voter, who gave his name as Ghoochian, said he backed Masoud Pezeshkian, the race’s sole reformist candidate.
“I’ve know him for years,” the man said. “His stances, honesty and wholesomeness make him the best option. That’s why I voted for him.”
A former Iranian foreign minister who reached the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers has offered a positive assessment of the chances of the sole reformist candidate in Iran’s presidential election.
Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke Friday at a polling station in Tehran after casting his ballot. Zarif has been a key advocate for the heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian, who faces three hard-liners in the election.
“Hopefully, people will go and choose for themselves, and hopefully, if there is a large turnout, it will become clear who is the majority and who is the minority,” Zarif said.
Zarif also quoted what he said was a foreign proverb abroad, that bad politicians are elected by good people who do not vote. “Now is an opportunity to vote,” he added.
Zarif and Pezeshkian received a thinly veiled warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier in the week over their desire to negotiate with the West, particularly the United States.
Iran’s acting president Mohammad Mokhber has cast his vote and said that there are no security concerns in election.
“We have no security concerns for the elections,” Mokhber said in comments aired by state television. “The polling stations and its branches are properly placed in such a way that there is no point in the country or even outside the country where voting is not possible.”
Mokhber has served as acting president in the wake of the May helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi. He was Raisi’s first vice president, but did not apply to run in the election.
Iran’s supreme leader called on the public to vote in the snap election to replace hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave brief remarks Friday, speaking to journalists gathered in Tehran to cover him voting.
“I don’t see any reason for doubt,” Khamenei said at the ceremony in a mosque attached to his offices.
Khamenei said a high turnout was a “definite need” for the Islamic Republic. He also called the election an “important political test.”
Raisi, 63, had been seen as a protégé of Khamenei and a possible successor for the supreme leader position in Iran, which has final say over all matters of state in the Shiite theocracy.
Any Iranian 18 or older can vote in Friday’s election. There are 58,640 polling centers around the country, set up in mosques, schools and other public buildings. A voter first needs to show their national ID card and fill out a form. They then dip an index fingers in ink, making a print on the form, while officials stamp their ID so they can’t vote twice. On the secret ballot, a voter writes down the name and the numerical code of the candidate they are voting for and drops it into a ballot box. Voting lasts from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., though authorities routinely keep polls open at least several hours later.
Iranian presidents serve four-year terms and are limited to serving two terms. Iran’s president is subordinate to the supreme leader and over the recent years, the supreme leader’s power appears to have grown stronger amid tensions with the West. However, a president can bend the state’s policies on both domestic issue and foreign affairs. Former President Hassan Rouhani, for example, struck the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers with the blessing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The hard-line tact taken by the late President Ebrahim Raisi also had Khamenei’s backing.
Iran describes itself as an Islamic Republic. The Shiite theocracy holds elections and has elected representatives passing laws and governing on behalf of its people. However, the supreme leader has the final say on all state matters and the Guardian Council must approve all laws passed by the parliament. Those who led Iran’s Green Movement after hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed 2009 re-election remain under house arrest. Security forces answering only to the supreme leader also routinely arrest dual nationals and foreigners, using them as pawns in international negotiations. Mass protests in recent years have seen bloody crackdowns on dissent. Meanwhile, hard-liners now hold all levers of power within the country. The Guardian Council approves all candidates and also has never allowed a woman to run for president. It routinely rejects candidates calling for dramatic reform, stifling change.
Iranian citizens gather to cast their votes during the presidential election at a polling station inside the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, June 28, 2024. Iranians are voting to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash in May along with the country's foreign minister and several other officials.(AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to media after casting his vote during the presidential election in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 28, 2024. Iranians were voting Friday in a snap election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash last month, as public apathy has become pervasive in the Islamic Republic after years of economic woes, mass protests and tensions in the Middle East. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A woman casts her vote during the presidential election at a polling station inside the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, June 28, 2024. Iranians were voting Friday in a snap election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash last month, as public apathy has become pervasive in the Islamic Republic after years of economic woes, mass protests and tensions in the Middle East. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Iranian citizens wait in queue to cast their votes during the presidential election at a polling station inside the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, June 28, 2024. Iranians are voting in a presidential election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash in May along with the country's foreign minister and several other officials. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
A man casts his ballot during the presidential election as he holds a picture of the late President Ebrahim Raisi in a polling station, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 28, 2024. Iranians were voting Friday in a snap election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash last month, as public apathy has become pervasive in the Islamic Republic after years of economic woes, mass protests and tensions in the Middle East. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranian citizens wait in queue to cast their votes during the presidential election at a polling station inside the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, June 28, 2024. Iranians are voting in a presidential election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash in May along with the country's foreign minister and several other officials. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
A woman casts her vote during the presidential election at a polling station inside the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, June 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks after casting his vote during the presidential election in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 28, 2024. Iranians were voting Friday in a snap election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash last month, as public apathy has become pervasive in the Islamic Republic after years of economic woes, mass protests and tensions in the Middle East. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei leaves after casting his vote during the presidential election, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 28, 2024. Iranians were voting Friday in a snap election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash last month, as public apathy has become pervasive in the Islamic Republic after years of economic woes, mass protests and tensions in the Middle East. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Reformist candidate for Iran's presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian waves to his supporters in his campaign meeting in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the most prominent hard-line candidate for the presidential election, speaks in his campaign gathering in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A supporter of Saeed Jalili, a candidate for the presidential election, holds his poster as he flashes a victory sign during a campaign gathering in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Supporters of reformist candidate for Iran's presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian attend his campaign meeting in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
