https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/wind-change-europe-path-eu-opens-ukraine-2022-06-23/ Reuters: EU officially announces: Ukraine is a candidate to join the EU Summit accepts Ukraine, Moldova as candidates to join EU. The EU officially announced tonight (Thursday) that Ukraine is a candidate to join the EU. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zalansky welcomed the move, calling it a "historic moment."
There are worse things than being in candidate status for all eternity. Anyone want to take bets on whether Ukraine or Turkey gets accepted first?
Not at all, since regional accreditors don't tend to offer candidacy to schools that aren't likely to get through, whereas, by comparison, Turkey has been an EU candidate for twenty-two years now.
Turkey is not willing to do things it needs to do to get membership. It is great the EU doesn't make it easy to advance from candidacy to membership. There are 7 preliminary conditions specifically for Ukraine, plus iirc 35 negotiations areas where a country needs to show they are compatible with the Union - and make necessary changes to laws and practice to make it so. Ukraine has ways to go, and its government and, frankly, society desperately needs external accountability. Already the Rada ratified the Istanbul declaration on prevention of domestic violence and discrimination against women that was protested by the Ukrainian Council of Churches and was stuck for years. Yeah candidacy!
While it may take time, I estimate that once the war ends and Ukraine rebuildit's s economy etc. Its like Albany that is wating 9 years. I think candidacy is more then symbolic and it's not a guaranty but it is a step.
Yes, in that investing into compliance with accreditation standards generally makes for stronger schools. Poland clearly chose European path, while Ukraine waffled with "multivectorism" and "historic ties" for three decades. (To be fair, EU expansion sages were not eager to support Ukraine's European aspirations in misguided deference to Russia's "sphere of influence"). As a result, Poland's GDP per cap is 4x Ukraine's, after starting pretty much at the same place in 1991.
Thanks for the info, Steve. I didn't know Turkey was still on the list - I thought they had been dropped years ago. Maybe - at some post-Erdogan point. If the country survives him.
