12 February 2013
MEDIA RELEASE
Ukrainian World Congress calls upon the President of Ukraine to take concrete steps to uphold Ukraine’s Euro-integration
The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) has called upon the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, to take concrete steps to promote Ukraine’s Euro-integration.
In a letter dated 12 February 2013, UWC President Eugene Czolij stated that a positive step was taken with the r initialing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement on 30 March 2012.
“The main condition for now signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement is the adherence of Ukraine’s governing authorities to fundamental European values, which are critical to the future development of Ukrainian society,” said Eugene Czolij. “These steps include carrying out necessary reforms, particularly of the legal and judicial system, and ending the selective application of justice at all levels of government.”
It was noted that Ukraine’s Euro-integration would enable the Ukrainian people to: live in harmony with the European community which shares its values; join the world’s largest economy; obtain assistance in the energy sector for its modernization; participate in European economic and social programs; accelerate educational and health system reforms; move freely within the territory of the EU countries; and establish a more balanced relationship with Russia.
Calling for an end to the movement toward any membership for Ukraine in the Russia-dominated Customs Union, the UWC referred to the comments of Štefan Füle, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, during his recent visit to Ukraine. Speaking on the issue of the Customs Union, the Commissioner highlighted that membership in this union deprives a member state of its sovereign right on its foreign trade policy and that the EU cannot make commitments under the Association Agreement with a country that does not have that right.
On 17 January 2013, the UWC President sent a letter to the leaders of the European Union calling upon them to expedite Ukraine’s Euro-integration and to sign the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. As of today, this call has already been supported by 25 Ukrainian organizations from 18 countries.
The UWC is the international coordinating body for Ukrainian communities in the diaspora representing the interests of over 20 million Ukrainians. The UWC has member organizations in 33 countries and ties with Ukrainians in 14 additional countries. Founded in 1967 as a non-profit corporation, the UWC was recognized in 2003 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council as a non-governmental organization (NGO) with special consultative status.
