March 30, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
UWC PRESIDENT MEETS WITH THE MARSHAL OF POLAND’S SEJM GRZEGORZ SCHETYNA
On March 18, 2011, the President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) Eugene Czolij had an official meeting with the Marshal of the Sejm of Poland Grzegorz Schetyna. Sejm Deputy Myron Sycz and the Secretary of the Union of Ukrainians of Poland Myroslaw Kupicz also attended this meeting.
Eugene Czolij provided the Marshal of the Sejm with information about UWC activities and raised several issues concerning the Ukrainian minority in Poland, Ukrainian-Polish relations and support for Ukraine’s European integration, particularly since Poland will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, 2011.
The UWC President expressed gratitude for the decision of the Polish authorities to return the National Centre (Narodny Dim) in Przemysl to the Ukrainian community in Poland and requested financial support to renovate this historic building.
Eugene Czolij acknowledged Poland’s 2006 recognition of the 1932-33 Holodomor in Ukraine as an act of genocide of the Ukrainian people. He also appealed to the Sejm of Poland to refrain from passing the draft resolution of March 4, 2011 concerning the events in Kresy since this would only be detrimental to relations between the Ukrainian and Polish people.
The Marshal of the Sejm of Poland Grzegorz Schetynasaid that he will take into account the issues raised during the meeting.
“The meeting with the Marshal of the Sejm of Poland Grzegorz Schetyna was conducted in a constructive atmosphere and presented an opportunity to raise issues that are important to the Ukrainian Diaspora,” said UWC President Eugene Czolij.
