UWC President Eugene Czolij fulfilled visit to Poland

On 3-5 June 2018, on the invitation of Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) member organization, Association of Ukrainians in Poland, UWC President Eugene Czolij fulfilled a visit to Przemysl (3 June) and Warsaw (4-5 June), Poland, during which he raised important issues in meetings with governing authorities, academics and the Ukrainian community.

On 3 June 2018, Eugene Czolij participated in Divine Liturgy, a traditional religious procession, a memorial service, and a wreath-laying ceremony at the monument to the soldiers of the Ukrainian and Western Ukrainian National Republics buried in the Ukrainian military cemetery in the village Pikulice, near Przemysl. Over one thousand guests from Ukraine, Poland, and other countries joined the commemorative activities. In his speech, the UWC President stressed that, similarly to almost one century earlier, Ukrainian soldiers currently defend Ukraine from Russian aggression. Among the special guests were Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Archbishop and Metropolitan of Lviv Bishop Ihor (Voznyak), Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Sokal-Zhovkva and Chaplain of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Mykhaylo (Koltun), Head of the Lviv Oblast Administration Oleh Syniutka, Head of the Lviv Oblast Council Oleksandr Hanushchyn and President of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland Petro Tyma.

That same day, during a meeting with the Ukrainian community of Przemysl, Eugene Czolij received a certificate of recognition from the Association of Ukrainians in Poland and the Civic Committee for the Restoration of Narodnyi Dim (People’s Home) for his comprehensive assistance in furthering the process of restoring Narodnyi Dim in Przemysl. The UWC President presented the Civic Committee for the Restoration of Narodnyi Dim with a generous donation from the families of Petro and Halina Krzywucki, Iwan and Anna Iwaniura, Bohdan and Miroslawa Workun, and Stefan and Miroslawa Merena, as well as the Association of Ukrainians “Zakerzonnia” and Lemko Foundation.

On 4-5 June 2018, in meetings with high-ranking Polish officials in Warsaw, the UWC President thanked Poland for its support of Ukraine in the defence of its territorial integrity from Russian aggression. Eugene Czolij also called for Poland to continue maintaining a firm position in support of Ukraine and strengthening of European Union sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully withdraws its armed forces from Eastern Ukraine and de-occupies Crimea. The UWC President also discussed the deployment of a peacekeeping mission to the Donbas. He also highlighted the global reach of the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation, which, with its cyberattacks, acts of terrorism, mass disinformation, and interference in the democratic processes of other countries, attempts to destabilize Europe and the world. Drawing attention to the positive reforms in Ukraine, the UWC Presіdent called for support of Ukraine’s further European and Euro-Atlantic integration. The UWC President also thanked Poland for recognizing the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people. In addition, he called for a constructive dialogue and historical reconciliation between the Ukrainian and Polish people.

While in Poland, the UWC President was accompanied by Director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels Maryna Iaroshevych. President of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland Petro Tyma and Secretary of the National Executive of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland Miroslav Kupych also attended individual meetings.

“The Ukrainian World Congress calls upon Poland to support Ukraine in its battle against the imperialist actions of the Russian Federation that threaten peace and security in the world” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij. 

List of individuals with whom the UWC President met:

Bednarek Jerzy, Deputy Director of the Historical Research Office at the Institute of National Remembrance of Poland

Bodnar Adam, Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Poland

Czaputowicz Jacek, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland

Deschytsia Andrii, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine in Poland

Eberhardt Adam, Executive Director of the Centre for Eastern Studies

Kowal Paweł, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Political Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences

Kucharczyk Jacek, President of the Executive Board at the Institute of Public Affairs

Lubnauer Katarzyna, Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Club of the Modern Party (Nowoczesna), Member of the Sejm of Poland

Mazurek Beata, Vice-Marshal of the Sejm of Poland, Head of the Inter-Parliamentary Ukraine-Poland Friendship Group

Obremski Jarosław, Deputy Chairman of Foreign and European Union Committee, Member of the Senate of Poland

Pietraszewska Danuta, Chairman of the Committee on National and Ethnic Minorities, Member of the Sejm of Poland

Pisarska Katarzyna, Founder and Director of European Academy of Diplomacy

Pisarski Zbigniew, President of the Casimir Pulaski Foundation

Protasiewicz Jacek, First Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Club of the Civic Platform Party, Member of the Sejm of Poland

Sośniak Marcin, Head of the Equal Treatment Department, Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Poland

Szłapka Adam, General Secretary of the Parliamentary Club of the Modern Party (Nowoczesna), Deputy Head of the Inter-Parliamentary Ukraine-Poland Friendship Group, Member of the Sejm of Poland

Szwagrzyk Krzysztof, Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance of Poland

Terlecki Ryszard, Vice-Marshal of the Sejm of Poland, Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of Poland and Ukraine

 

In the photo from left: J. Czaputowicz and E. Czolij

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