In the framework of commemorations marking the 50th anniversary of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), on 25-26 April 2017 UWC President Eugene Czolij met with high-ranking officials of Spain.
During the meetings the UWC President encouraged Spanish governing authorities to officially recognize the Holodomor of 1932-33 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people. In support of furthering the process of reforms in Ukraine, Eugene Czolij underscored the importance of finalizing the ratification process for the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and implementing the visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens. The UWC President highlighted the plight of Ukrainian political prisoners being unlawfully detained by the Russian Federation in Crimea, Eastern Ukraine and the Russian Federation, and called for monitoring of the situation with added pressure on the Russian Federation to reduce the violations of human rights, and support for the extension of sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully complies with the Minsk agreements. He also emphasized the need to deploy an OSCE police mission to Eastern Ukraine and a monitoring mission to Crimea.
During his visits in Madrid, the UWC President was accompanied by President of the Association “Ukrainian Community in Spain for the rights, honor and dignity of Ukrainians” Yuri Chopyk and Director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels Maryna Iaroshevych.
“The Ukrainian World Congress urges Spain to continue supporting the people of Ukraine as they, by defending the territorial integrity of Ukraine, secure peace and stability in the world,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
List of individuals with whom the UWC President met:
Aznar Fernández Luis, First Secretary, Senate of the Kingdom of Spain
Diaz Herrero Pedro Angel, Head of the Defense Diplomacy Area, General Directorate of Defense Policy, Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Spain
Galindo Fernando, Director for International Relations, Congress of Deputies of the Kingdom of Spain
Landaluce Calleja José Ignacio, President of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, Senate of the Kingdom of Spain
Lasheras Borja, Associate Director of the Madrid Office and Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations
Levin Matthew, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the Kingdom of Spain
Maura Barandiarán Fernando, Member of the Congress of Deputies of the Kingdom of Spain
Milosevich-Juaristi Mira, Academic Assistant, Foundation for Social Studies and Analysis
Navarro Garzón Micaela, Vice-President of the Congress of Deputies of the Kingdom of Spain
Scherba Anatoliy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine in the Kingdom of Spain and Principality of Andorra
Shen Denise, Deputy Political Counsellor, Embassy of the United States in the Kingdom of Spain
Smith-Wilson Shelby, Political Counsellor, Embassy of the United States in the Kingdom of Spain
Viliarano Marzo Camillo, Acting Head at the Minister’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain
Zarzalejos Javier, Director of the Foundation for Social Studies and Analysis
In the photo from left: J. I. Landaluce Calleja, F. L. Aznar, E. Czolij, M. Iaroshevych, I. Semenyuk and Y. Chopyk
