Digest ¹ 5 International Activity of the President of the People’s Movement of Ukraine
1. President of the People’s Movement of Ukraine (Rukh), Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration Borys Tarasyuk attended an external session of Ukrainian parliamentarians on Ukraine-Romania relations and issues of Danube region development on October 30, 2009 in Ismail, Odessa region.
The parliamentarians focused on the current state of construction work in the Danube-Black Sea deep navigable channel dike and international legal aspects of the Ukrainian position on this issue. Also the parliamentarians discussed issues of the Ukrainian Danube Steamship Company and prospects of its development as well as Romanian mechanisms of warning and reaction to emergencies in the Danube area.
During the press-conference on results of the meeting the MP forecasted that the Ukrainian-Romanian relations will become more dynamic after the presidential elections in Ukraine.
The Rukh’s leader noted that recently it was only one problem of Ukrainian-Romanian relations solved, which concerned delimitation of the single maritime boundary and exclusive economic zones of Romania and Ukraine in the Black Sea. However the delimitation issue was solved not through a means of bilateral relations but through the International Court in the Hague.
Borys Tarasyuk stressed that unfortunately the Romanian side continues to speculate on sensitive issues in bilateral relations, in particular on those related to navigation in the Danube area.
2. On November 4, 2009 the Parliamentary hearings “Development of Cross-border and Inter-Regional Cooperation on the EU-Ukraine Border in the Format of European Regions” organized by the Committee on European Integration chaired by President of the People’s Movement of Ukraine Borys Tarasyuk with participation of the National Mission of Carpathian Euroregion in Ukraine took place in the Ukrainian Parliament.
The Parliamentary hearings were attended by MPs, officials from central and regional administrations, the head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Ukraine, representatives of the Ukrainian Euroregions.
A range of important issues on the role of Euroregions in cross-border cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, ways to improve legislative support of cross-border cooperation, perspectives of territorial cooperation and other issues were discussed during the hearings. Final recommendations to Ukrainian regional and central institutions were adopted as the result of the hearings.
3. On November 9, 2009 Borys Tarasyuk attended the international conference “Legacy of 1989: Democracy, Market and Europe” in Denmark, Copenhagen organized by the Danish Institute for International Researches and the University of Copenhagen. At the conference Borys Tarasyuk spoke on a topic: “Prospects of 1989: A Wider Europe Whole and Free. Prospects of 1989 – Ukrainian Scenario”.
Ambassador Borys Tarasyuk also met Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Per Stig Moeller in Copenhagen. The Danish Minister emphasized that the Kingdom of Denmark would remain a strong supporter of Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. The politicians also discussed extensive installation of new energy-efficient technologies in order to decline Ukraine’s dependence on traditional imported fossil fuels. The Danish Minister marked that the Kingdom of Denmark is ready to assist Ukraine in energy efficiency measures.
4. On November 12, 2009 Borys Tarasyuk represented Ukraine in the international conference “The Eastern Partnership and European Union’s Prospects of Development to East” in Rome, organized by the Association of Former Italian Members of Parliament together with the Ukrainian Embassy in Italy.
Speaking at the conference Ambassador Borys Tarasyuk urged EU dignitaries to fostering relations with Ukraine. In particular, the MP pledged his Italian colleagues to pay more attention to Eastern Europe. Ambassador Borys Tarasyuk pointed to the lack of information in the Italian society about Ukraine’s role in the EU energy security. According to the President of Rukh, Ukraine’s acceptance of the European Energy Community Treaty will strengthen the European Union energy security.
5. On November 13, 2009 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland Radoslaw Sikorski awarded Ambassador Borys Tarasyuk with the Honorary Decoration Bene Merito for significant contribution to strengthening of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Republic of Poland as well as for significant contribution to Ukraine’s European course.
Ambassador Borys Tarasyuk was the first foreigner awarded with this honorary distinction.
6. Speaking about the final entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, Borys Tarasyuk forecasted that this will probably lead to emergence of new forces in the political elite of the EU. And these forces will raise the EU enlargement issue once again.
November 16, 2009
