UWC President concludes working visit to Europe
to get continued support for Ukraine
On 27 February 2014 Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij concluded a one-week working visit to Strasbourg, France, and Vienna, Austria, where he met with high-ranking European officials to obtain assurances of their continued support for the Ukrainian people and their aspirations to live in dignity in a free and democratic society.
During meetings with high-ranking officials from the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the UWC President discussed the importance of signing the EU‑Ukraine Association Agreement and urged the European Parliament to declare that this Agreement is a step for Ukraine towards membership in the European Union.
Eugene Czolij also called for the European Union to provide Ukraine a financial support package to alleviate the present tight situation in respect of payments and to help launch the necessary reforms of the Ukrainian economy.
The UWC President stressed the need to monitor and react to the violations by Russia of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, primarily in the Crimea, invoking Russia’s international obligations and the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty on the Non‑Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Eugene Czolij also called for accelerating the establishment of a recognized international body to investigate human rights violations in Ukraine.
He met with local Ukrainian communities in Strasbourg and Vienna to discuss the future work of the UWC and the Ukrainian diaspora.
“The Ukrainian World Congress calls on the international community to support the new Government of Ukraine in the implementation of necessary changes for Ukraine to become a fully democratic and European state,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
List of high-ranking European officials met by UWC President
Boillart Philippe, Director General of the Council of Europe Directorate General, Human Rights and Rule of Law
Botta Martin, Minister Plenipotentiary, Austria’s Ministry for European and International Affairs
Brasseur Anne, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Brok Elmar, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament
De Sarnez Marielle, Vice Chair of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament
Edthofer Jutta, Head of Division Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia, Austria’s Ministry for European and International Affairs
Gahler Michael, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament
Harms Rebecca, Co-Chair of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance in the European Parliament
Jagland Thorbjørn, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Kelam Tunne, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament
Kiefer Andreas, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
Kowal Pawel, Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee
Kozlowski Jan, Member of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary
Cooperation Committee
Markert Thomas, Director, Secretary of the Council of Europe Venice Commission
Muižnieks Nils, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Protasiewicz Jacek, Vice President of the European Parliament
Roucek Libor, Vice-Chair of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament
Saryusz-Wolski Jacek,Chair of the Delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Vice-Chair of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Vice-Chair of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) in the European Parliament
Saudargas Algirdas, Member of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary
Cooperation Committee
Siwiec Marek, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Member of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee
Swoboda Hannes, President of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament
Tochytskyi Mykola, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Council of Europe
Vaidere Inese, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Member of the Subcommittee on Human Rights in the European Parliament
Zannier Lamberto, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
