October 11, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
UKRAINIAN WORLD CONGRESS PRESIDENT MEETS WITH OSCE AND UN OFFICIALS IN VIENNA
On September 28, 2011, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij held a series of meetings in Vienna, Austria.
Separate meetings were held with Ambassador Adam Kobieracki, the OSCE Deputy Secretary General and Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre, and Marc Carillet, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Deputy Director of Administration, to discuss UWC’s ongoing involvement in the OSCE’s activities. Also on the agenda was Ukraine’s chairmanship of the OSCE in 2013. Eugene Czolij urged the OSCE to insist that Ukraine comply with the OSCE’s principles of democracy and cease any form of glorification of Stalin’s totalitarian regime. The UWC President further emphasized the significance of Ukraine’s upcoming Parliamentary elections in 2012 and urged the OSCE to send a substantial observer mission.
In a meeting with Dr. Ana Karlsreiter, Senior Adviser, OSCE’s Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media, the UWC President raised the issue of the importance of actively monitoring the level of independence of Ukraine’s media, highlighting the current pressure being exerted on a radio station in Donetsk and the closing by Ukrainian authorities of two television stations in Kharkiv. Dr. Karlsreiter responded that their office will continue to monitor the independence of Ukraine’s media, including these latest cases.
Eugene Czolij also met with Dr. Vera Gracheva, Co-ordination Adviser for the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. He familiarized her with the work of the UWC Taskforce to Stop Human Trafficking and requested that she consider partnering with the UWC Taskforce on the development of an interactive website, “Global Human Trafficking Help Map“. Dr. Gracheva took the request under consideration and both parties agreed to increase the mutual exchange of information for greater effectiveness.
At the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) office, the UWC President met with Dr. Olga Memedovic, Chief, Europe and NIS Programme, and Solomiya Omelyan, Programme Officer. The discussion focused on a possible role for the UWC in disseminating information on UNIDO’s mandate and activities.
Eugene Czolij also had an opportunity to visit the Parish of Saint Barbara and discuss issues related to the church and community life with Father Taras Chagala. Then, during a community meeting, he shared information on the UWC’s work and called upon community leaders to establish a stronger working relationship with the UWC.
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