Rhodes - Itar-Tass
Ukraine can face default in 2014 if it signs the Association Agreement with the EU, Russian presidential adviser Sergei Glazyev said. “I say again: the Association Agreement will lead to default in Ukraine because Russia stops to provide loans. Today Ukraine’s balance of payment is based on Russian loans and investments,” Glazyev said. “Default is inevitable and this can lead to changing power. Other people will come. The country can face social and political destabilization,” he said, adding, “We are not interested in this and Europe as well.” “That is why it is absurd to sign the deal. It gives nothing. Moreover, it will hamper Ukraine’s movement towards integration into Russia,” Glazyev said. “This is a very expensive project because it will take 35 billion euro to restore Ukraine’s economy after destabilization. This is an adventure, which can lead to bankruptcy of many industries in Ukraine. The republic will be unable to supply products to its market because it won’t correspond to European standards,” the presidential adviser said. Ukraine\'s ruling party may lose up to 4 million voters Ukraine’s Party of Regions may lose up to four million of voters if it signs the association agreement with the European Union, Sergei Glazyev said. “The decision (to sign the agreement) was made without a prior informing of Russia, we have faced the fact,” he said. “Moreover, we still have not received from Ukrainian authorities the text of the agreement. We had to use the version we had taken from Brussels and had translated.” “The Ukrainian side has been acting unwisely. This may be compared with a political suicide for Azarov’s government and for the entire Ukrainian leadership,” Glazyev said. The presidential aide stressed the agreement “is economically unprofitable, it would not suggest social support to the nation.” “We believe the Party of Regions and personally Viktor Yanukovich would lack support from three to four million votes after the agreement is signed.” “There must be some hidden reasons to motivate them, which may come, perhaps, from foreign property, some assets, or some blackmail from the EU or NATO,” Glazyev added. Russia will not reduce gas prices for Ukraine Russian presidential adviser also said that Russia would not reduce gas prices by three times for Ukraine if Kiev signs the Association Agreement with the EU. “We planned to reduce gas prices by three times - to the level that Belarus is receiving: $160 per 1,000 cubic metres,” Glazyev said. “We also intended to abolish export duties. Totally, trade conditions would be improved. If Ukraine returned to the Customs Union, it would receive 10 billion dollars annually,” the presidential adviser said. If Ukraine signs the Association Agreement with the EU, the Russian budget and Gazprom will save $5.5 billion ,Glazyev said.