On 24 February 2017 Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij concluded a two-day visit to Vienna, Austria, where he attended the 16th Winter Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and held a series of working meetings with high-ranking officials of the OSCE and Austria, and representatives of civil society.
On 23 February 2017 the UWC President addressed a Side Event in the framework of the 16th Winter Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE on the topic: “Strengthening energy security in the OSCE region.”
During the meetings, Eugene Czolij drew attention to the hybrid war of the Russian Federation and highlighted the threats of Russian aggression to Ukraine, as well as to peace and stability in the world. The UWC President called for the deployment of an OSCE police mission to Donbas and a monitoring mission to Crimea, and the strengthening of targeted economic sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully complies with the Minsk agreements. In addition, Eugene Czolij called for the defence of human and national rights of residents of the illegally occupied by the Russian Federation Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, and concrete action for the release by the Russian Federation of Ukrainian political prisoners, including journalists Roman Sushchenko and Mykola Semena.
The UWC President also met with the local Ukrainian community at the St. Barbara Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church hall in Vienna.
During his visit to Austria the UWC President was accompanied by Director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels Maryna Iaroshevych.
“The Ukrainian World Congress will continue to actively cooperate with the international community to assist Ukraine in the defence of its territorial integrity,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
List of individuals with whom the UWC President met:
Algayerovά Oľga, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the OSCE
Berman Matthijs, Principal Adviser to the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Lord Bowness Peter, Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Head of the Delegation of the United Kingdom to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Cederfelt Margareta, Deputy Head of the Delegation of Sweden to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Rapporteur of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Dobesova Ivana, Head of the Delegation of the Czech Republic to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Gerasymov Artur, Head of the Delegation of Ukraine to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Grodzki Tomasz, Member of the Delegation of Poland to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Polish Senator
Harstedt Kent, Head of the Delegation of Sweden to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Kasčiūnas Laurynas, Deputy Head of the Delegation of Lithuania to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Kraut Alois, Ambassador, Deputy Head of Department for Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus, Central Asia, EU Eastern Partnership, Federal Ministry of the Republic of Austria
Kupchyna Alena, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the OSCE
Lonsdale Charles, Deputy Director of Policy Support Service at the Conflict Prevention Centre, the OSCE Secretariat
Marschik Alexander, Political Director at the Federal Ministryfor Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria
Neumayer Knut, Executive Director at the Institute for Human Sciences
Nothelle Andreas, Ambassador, Special Representative at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Osusky Peter, Head of the Delegation of Slovakia to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Prokopchuk Ihor, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna
Raunig Florian, Ambassador, Head of Department OSCE/Council of Europe, Federal Ministry of Austria
Sabashuk Iryna, Head of Administration for Election Observation, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Sanchez Ignacio, Head of the Delegation of Spain to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Chair of the OSCE PA’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions
Scherba Olexander, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraineto Austria
Sinkevičius Virginijus, Head of the Delegation of Lithuania to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Vilim Annelies, Director atthe Austrian Platform for Development and Humanitarian Aid “Global Responsibility”
Voisin Michel, Head of the Delegation of France to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Wrabetz Bernhard, Ambassador, Foreign and EU Policy Adviser of the Federal Chancellor, Federal Chancellery of Austria
Zhurzhenko Tetyana, Research Director at the Institute for Human Sciences
In the photo from left: O. Scherba, E.Czolij and B.Wrabetz
