The agreement between Ukraine and the United States does not provide for the transfer of subsoil use rights or any property rights, and therefore does not require ratification or approval at an all-Ukrainian referendum.
This was stated by the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna in an interview with Yurydychna Praktyka, Ukrinform reports.
“If it was about the use of Ukraine’s subsoil or the right to Ukrainian subsoil, then, of course, this is a matter not only of ratification, but also, indeed, of a referendum. After all, we all know the truth from the Constitution of Ukraine that subsoil belongs to the people of Ukraine. The agreement does not provide for the transfer of subsoil use rights or any property rights. It is about the distribution of revenues to the state budget, part of which is generated by the Fund,” Stefanishyna said.
She added that after signing this agreement, no legal consequences arise, i.e. Ukraine does not receive obligations to actually transfer funds or transfer them.
“Such obligations will arise only after the conclusion of the agreement on the establishment of the Fund and, accordingly, all the necessary procedures are carried out so that the work of the institution itself begins after it enters into force,” the official explained.
The Vice Prime Minister noted that the agreement provides for the intention to reflect in the future agreement a certain procedure for the distribution of revenues to the state budget.
“The only thing that concerns the subsoil of Ukraine is that the state budget revenues from the use of subsoil will be directed to the Fund and reinvested in the same areas from which the funds are generated,” Stefanishyna emphasized.
As Ukrinform reported, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed expectations that an agreement on joint development of mineral resources in Ukraine – although it was not the subject of negotiations in Jeddah – would eventually be concluded.
Photo: pravo.ua
Source: Vice PM: Agreement with U.S. does not include transfer of subsoil use rights
