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07Apr16

Poroshenko: Referendum in the Netherlands no obstacle for Ukraine on its way to EU

The referendum in the Netherlands on ratification of the agreement on Association between the EU and Ukraine won't become an obstacle for Ukraine on its way to Europe, the country's President Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday.

"I want to stress that this referendum, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the Netherlands, has only a consultative role and now it is for the government, parliament and Dutch politicians to decide. I am sure that strategically this event is not an obstacle to Ukraine's entry to Europe," he said as quoted by his press service.

Poroshenko also expressed confidence that the true aim of the organizers of the referendum is "not the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union" but "an attack on the unity of Europe, the attack on the spread of European values."

On Wednesday, the Dutch citizens were asked to answer the following question: "Are you for or against the ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU?"

According to preliminary results, 61.3% of the Dutch people voted against the agreement while 38.1% voted for it.

The turnout stands at 32.3%, which is sufficient to ensure that the vote was declared valid (30%). The official results of the referendum will be announced by the Electoral Council of the Netherlands on April 12.

Earlier Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that the Netherlands was ready to take into account the results of the referendum, in other words he did not rule out the refusal to ratify the agreement.

[Source: Itar Tass, Kiev, 07Apr16]
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