Is it true that the condition for Ukraine joins the EU is a refusal to glorify Bandera?

Many Russian sources write that in order to join the European Union from Ukraine, they demanded to stop glorifying the ideologist of Ukrainian nationalism Stepan Bandera. We checked whether the conditions for Ukraine’s membership in the EU contain such a point.

June 17, 2022 European Commission (EC) Recommended Give Ukraine the status of a candidate for the EU (EU). The very next day, some Russian media Published The headlines "Ukraine called the condition for membership in the European Union." This condition Allegedly was the refusal of the glorification of Stepan Bandera. Ren-TV TV channel wrotethat “non -laid is called upon to abandon the chanting of those who collaborated with the Nazis. Namely, to abandon the cult of Stepan Bandera, otherwise, membership in the EU may be called into question. ” The news was picked up Users social networks, MarkingThat Europe finally recognized the presence of Nazism in Ukraine.

To begin with, let's figure out at what stage of joining the EU the law enforcement agent receives a conditional list of requirements. When EC recommends any country in candidates for joining the EU (namely this stage There is an application of Ukraine), this is not a guarantee that the country will become a candidate. The final decision is made by the EU Council. To guarantee a positive answer, the European Commission ordered Ukraine until the end of 2022 to fulfill Seven steps. After successfully obtaining the status of a candidate, Ukraine will receive another list of conditions - already to join the EU. These Conditions concern the principles of democracy, free market, developed state institutions, the rule of law and law. Bringing all these aspects in line with EU standards sometimes occupies decades. According to the results of the reforms, the EU Council, the European Parliament and the EU members will decide on the accession of the candidate to the European Union.

Judging by the headings of the Russian media, the refusal to glorify Bandera allegedly entered the list of conditions for Ukraine to join the EU. Nevertheless, Ukraine has not yet reached this stage and has not yet received such a list. List Of the seven steps that Ukraine received from the EC, so far only applies to obtaining the status of a candidate. But nothing about Bandera is said in this list. As he writes Deutsche Welle, the first two points are associated with judicial reform. The next two are devoted to the fight against corruption. The fifth and sixth concern the struggle with the oligarchs and the development of independent media. The seventh paragraph - on the reforms of legislation in relation to national minorities.

Then where did the condition on the “refusal to glorify Bandera for the sake of membership in the EU” come from? From the very first paragraphs of such publications it becomes clear that the sensational headlines are far from the real content of articles. The publications explain that such a “condition for joining the EU” was expressed Arno Clarfeld, lawyer of the French Association of Sons and Daughters of Jews deported from France (FFDJF). On the day of the EC report on the candidacy of Ukraine, Clarzzfeld was invited on the air of the French BFMTV television channel to discuss this news. It was there that he said that he supports Ukraine’s entry into the “European family”, but for this Ukraine should “reflect on its history” and stop glorifying those who collaborated with the Nazis. It becomes clear that when writing the headlines of the media used the clickbeite tactics*and the Freiming **: the “Conditions” promised to readers were only the opinion of one person who was not related to the leading bodies of the EU.

How fair noted The Center for Combating Proceedings of Ukraine, the opinion of an individual private person is not an official position. These conditions for Ukraine’s entry into the EU have not yet been formulated. And in the list of steps to obtain the status of a candidate for Ukrainian nationalists, nothing is said.

*Clickbeit (English Clickbait: Click - “Click”, Bait - “Bait”) - a sensational title that forces the reader to follow the link to the article. Often such headers exaggerate, distort the essence or do not correspond to the content of the article at all.
**Framing (English Framing: Frame - “Frame”) - to accept attention on specific aspects of the topic in order to form perception. In the media, this technique allows you to shift the accents by lowering or highlighting certain details in order to manipulate the reader's opinion.

The image on the cover: the chairman of the European Commission Ursula von der Lyain and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky make statements following the results of negotiations in Kyiv, June 11, 2022. Source: Politico

Not true

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2. TASS. How is the procedure for joining the European Union
3. Is it true that Ukrainian nationalists were convicted of the Nuremberg process?