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EU PRAISES UKRAINE AS EXEMPLARY NEIGHBOR. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner described Ukraine on 31 October as a positive example of the European Neighborhood Policy, Interfax reported the same day. Ferrero-Waldner also said the EU will uphold its commitments and grant Ukraine market-economy status on 1 December in response to, and to improve economic reforms in the country. Ferrero-Waldner also said she believes the 2006 parliamentary elections in Ukraine will be of key importance for further reforms. AM

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT CHOOSES ANOTHER NOMINEE FOR PROSECUTOR-GENERAL... President Viktor Yushchenko on 31 October nominated Oleksandr Medvedko to serve as the next prosecutor-general, Interfax reported the same day, citing presidential spokeswoman Iryna Herashchenko. Yushchenko withdrew his previous nominee, Vasyl Prysyazhnyuk (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 30 October 2005), with no explanation. Medvedko currently serves as a deputy prosecutor-general. Verkhovna Rada speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn said on 31 October that he does not exclude the possibility that Ukraine might face a situation in which two people jointly fill the position. Svyatoslav Piskun, who was dismissed from the post on 14 October, is contesting his dismissal in court. AM

EU OFFICIAL SAYS BORDER PLAN COULD HELP END TRANSDNIESTER CONFLICT. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner has said an initiative to help secure the breakaway Transdneister region's border with Ukraine could lead to an end to the conflict there, euro-reporters.com reported on 31 October. "It is an important step towards facilitating the end of the frozen conflict in [Transdniester]," Ferrero-Waldner said. The Border Assistance Mission is scheduled to begin on 1 December and last two years. Teams of EU border and customs officials will work along the entire Moldova-Ukraine border, including the Transdniester section, with authorization to visit police and customs posts in both countries. The European Commission has allocated 7 million euros ($8.4 million) for the project. "The mission will help prevent trafficking in people, smuggling of goods, the proliferation of weapons, and customs fraud," Ferrero-Waldner said, "[as well as] ensuring that money previously diverted from Moldova's customs revenues ends up in the right place." BW