On 24-25 November 2016, at the invitation of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) member organization, Union of Ukrainians in Romania (UUR), UWC President Eugene Czolij travelled on a working visit to Bucharest, Romania, where he met with governing authorities of Romania and the local Ukrainian community.
The UWC President familiarized Romanian governing authorities with certain issues regarding UUR and raised the importance of the Ukrainian ethnic minority in Romania being represented in the Romanian Parliament.
Eugene Czolij called upon Romania to continue assisting Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and supporting the extension of targeted economic sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully complies with the Minsk agreements and de-occupies Crimea. In addition, the UWC President highlighted the current reform processes in Ukraine and the combatting of corruption, including with the e-declaration of assets by Ukrainian civil servants. Eugene Czolij also called for Romania to help find the means to complete the ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement without any modifications to the Agreement, and to support the implementation of a visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens based on Ukraine’s fulfillment of all conditions.
The UWC President also met with the Chargé d’Affaires of Ukraine in Romania Yevhen Levytskyi, and the Ukrainian community in Romania led by UUR President Nicolae Miroslav Petretchi and Past President Stepan Buchuta.
The UWC President was accompanied to these meetings by UUR President Nicolae Miroslav Petretchi, Advisor to the Ministry of Education of Romania Elvira Codrea and UWC Liaison Officer for International Organizations Maryna Iaroshevych.
“The meetings were productive and I anticipate that the Ukrainian ethnic minority in Romania, the third largest minority, will be represented by a member of Parliament after the parliamentary elections on 11 December 2016,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
More information on the meeting between the UWC President and Chargé d’Affaires of Ukraine in Romania is available on the website of the Embassy of Ukraine in Romania.
