London dressed in Vyshyvankas
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also in this issue:
Ukraine steps up reform to sign association with EU Page 2
Crimea, Northern Ireland to strengthen cooperation Page 3
Ukrainian pole vault great Serhiy Bubka to run for IOC president Page 4
Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 30, 2013
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european integration
Ukraine steps up reform to sign association with EU
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kraine has stepped up efforts to carry out the reforms required for signing the Association Agreement with the European Union this year. This was stated by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara during a upcoming event
The 1st International Annual Business Conference “ABC: Ukraine & Partners”
The 1st International Annual Business Conference “ABC: Ukraine & Partners” will take place on June 13 – 14, 2013 in Kyiv with the participation of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov and other members of Ukrainian Government. A wide range of governmental representatives, business and academia, financial, banking and investment institutions, diplomatic missions and media are invited to the conference. The aim of the Conference along with further development of dialogue between business leaders and the government is to unite their efforts in finding mutually acceptable ways of cooperation and overcoming the negative impact of the global economic crisis. For further details as well as media accreditation, please, click here.
hearing at the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels on May 28. “We have intensified our efforts to implement the reform agenda, which was approved during the recent EUUkraine summit. We have already made a significant progress in the ac-
tions to be taken,” Kozhara said. The minister also noted that, despite differences of views of the internal political developments, both the government and the opposition realize the importance of signing the Association Agreement with the European Union this year.
news in brief
Parliament adopts amendments to Criminal and Criminal Procedural Codes of Ukraine Ukrainian parliament has adopted legislative amendments regarding the responsibility of legal entities as part of the ongoing implementation of the action plan on liberalization of the visa regime. The amendments have been made to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine, and other legislative acts. In the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the law introduces a specific list of offenses for which a legal entity that had authorized an individual to conduct a criminal act could be punished. The law also defines the types of punitive measures which could be applied to the legal entity, general rules for their application, and the conditions for application of the measures. The adopted amendments were necessary to meet the requirements of the EU to liberalize the visa regime with Ukraine. Government proposes improvements to legislation on intellectual property Ukrainian government proposed the creation of an additional mechanism to combat violations related to the legitimate rights and interests of individuals who own copyrights. A bill was approved to tackle this issue by the Government on May 15, 2013. The bill aims to ensure the legal protection of authors’ copyright, to
overcome piracy, and to improve the business climate in Ukraine. The bill also proposes to provide the subjects of copyright with the possibility to protect their own interests independently during the process of certification. Ultimately, implementation of the provisions will prevent Ukraine from economic sanctions from the Government of the USA, ensure effective protection of intellectual property rights and ensure implementation of international obligations by Ukraine. International standards in media to be implemented in Ukraine On May 21st, the Council of Europe officially launched a project to establish European standards of freedom of expression and information in the Ukrainian media environment. The project aims to support freedom of expression and information in Ukraine by further aligning Ukrainian legal framework with international standards, raising professional and ethical standards in journalism, and building mass-media’s and relevant civil organizations’ potential to improve the quality and availability of information to Ukrainian citizens. The Delegation of European Council in Ukraine will coordinate the project with financial support from the Canadian agency for international development. The partners of the project are the Parliamentary Committee on the Freedom of Speech and Information, National Council, and the NGO’s “Committee on Journalistic Ethics”. www.ukremb.org.uk
Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 30, 2013
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regional cooperation
Crimea, Northern Ireland to strengthen cooperation
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ORTHERN Ireland and the Crimea have signed a protocol, under which they will strengthen relations in economy and culture. “The document was signed by Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Crimea Heorhiy Psarev and member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Jeffrey Donaldson,” the information policy department of the Crimea government reported. According to Heorhiy Psarev, last year the Crimea and the UK significantly increased the export and import of goods; the volume of direct investment from the UK to the Crimea was 55 million U.S. dollars. “Crimea is interested in further development of trade and economic relations with foreign partners, in strengthening inter-regional relations and is always ready to provide maximum assistance to investors from the UK and Ireland,” Psarev said. He noted that the Crimea and
Signing of the bilateral protocol was preceded by the visit of Ukraine’s Ambassador Volodymyr Khandogiy to Nothern Ireland, where he met with First Minister Peter Robinson (right) and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness (left)
the Ukrainian region among the British, and increase the flow of tourists. On April, 8-10 Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK Volodymyr Khandogiy paid a visit to the Northern Ireland. He met high officials of the region, namely First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly William Hay, Lord Mayor of Belfast Gavin Robinson.
Crimea presents at UNESCO headquarters unique photo exhibition of Black Sea underwater sites MP Jeffrey Donaldson: “Crimea is a unique region. There are great opportunities for the development of bilateral cooperation, including in the resorts area”
Northern Ireland have a great potential for cooperation in the resort and agro-industrial sectors, as well as in culture, energy and infrastructure. In addition, the vice prime minister asked the members of the delegation of Northern Ireland to assist in the opening of a tourist office of the Crimea in London. In turn, Jeffrey Donaldson expressed a strong interest in increasing two-way flow of tourists between Northern Ireland and the Crimea. Crimea is a unique region, Donaldson said, expressing the belief that there are great opportunities for the development of bilateral cooperation, including in the resorts area, and assuring that everything will be done to open Crimea’s office, promote
A unique photo exhibition devoted to underwater heritage objects of the Black Sea was introduced by a delegation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris during the 4th session of member states of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage. “This is the first time we demonstrate within the UNESCO walls the examples of priceless underwater monuments that are the heritage of the world culture and science,” the press service quoted Deputy Prime Minister of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Heorhiy Psarev as saying. The exhibition presents 32 photographs devoted to the most interesting objects of Ukraine’s underwater heritage. In addition to the exhibition, Crimea also presented the first edition of the booklet Research and Discovery 2012, dedicated to the expeditions of the Black Sea Underwater Research Center, created by the Crimean government. www.ukremb.org.uk
Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 30, 2013
sport
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KRAINIAN pole vault great Serhiy Bubka is joining the race to become the next president of the International Olympic Committee. The 49-year-old former Olympic and world champion notified IOC members he wants to succeed Jacques Rogge, who steps down in September. “I would like to take this opportunity to humbly inform you that I will submit my candidacy for the presidency of the IOC,” Bubka said in a letter. He is the sixth contender. The record field includes IOC vice-presidents Thomas Bach of Germany and Ng Ser Miang of Singapore as well as finance commission chairman Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico, amateur
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Serhiy Bubka to run for IOC president boxing association chief CK Wu of Taiwan, and international rowing federation head Denis Oswald of Switzerland. The election will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 10 September. Serhiy Bubka will be the youngest candidate in the race, 10 years younger than the 59-year-old Bach. He competed in four Olympics from 1988 to 2000, winning the pole vault gold medal for the former Soviet Union at the 1988 Games in Seoul. A six-time world champion, Bubka set a total of 35 world records during his career. He still holds the outdoor and indoor records in the event. Since retiring from competing, he has been Ukrainian National Olympic Committee president, International Association of
Athletics Federations senior vice-president and a member of the IOC executive board. The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has already announced its support of the candidacy of Serhiy Bubka for the post. An IOC member, FINA President Julio Cesar Maglione, who visited Ukraine to mark the 100th anniversary of the
Olympic Kyiv, told this to a UKRINFORM reporter. “Bubka is my longtime friend and reliable companion in the Olympic movement. By the way, I accepted without hesitation his invitation to come to your hospitable capital to mark the anniversary of the Olympic Kyiv. After his distinguished career in athletics, Bubka was no less talented organizer of the sports industry. He is committed to his business. And it’s very valuable. Therefore, FINA will support his candidacy for post of the IOC head in Buenos Aires,” Maglione said. “I have finally decided on my choice in favor of Bubka, despite the fact that swimmers call swimming the better sport than athletics, and athletes believe otherwise,” the FINA president said.
Hryhoriy Surkis becomes UEFA vice-president
T
he UEFA Executive Committee at a meeting on Friday appointed five UEFA vicepresidents for 2013-2015. In particular, they are Senes Erzik (Turkey), Angel Maria Villar Llona (Spain), Marios Lefkaritis (Cyprus), Giancarlo Abete (Italy) and Hryhoriy Surkis (Ukraine). Surkis, sees his new appointment as a high level of respect of the European
football community to Ukraine. “I thank you for the congratulations, but these congratulations equally concern every citizen of Ukraine. Because, first of all, I am a
citizen, and everything else is less important. This is the first time a Ukrainian was paid this honor. I think that this honor is given to my country and me as its citizen. And with all my knowledge, experience and skills, I am ready to serve the country, people and, of course, European football,” Surkis said. He is proud of the fact that Ukraine held EURO 2012 at a high level. “Ukraine has proved in
2012 that it is able to hold a brilliant tournament, which won the hearts of millions of people around the world, and confirmed that we are able to carry out such grandiose events. Ukraine opened for the Europeans, for the whole world a new page in its history. And today, at the UEFA Congress, the UEFA President said that this was a significant event for European football,” Surkis underscored. www.ukremb.org.uk
Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 30, 2013
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culture event
LONDON DRESSED IN VYSHYVANKAS
The unique event with Ukrainian cultural national background took place last weekend in Central London - the First Vyshyvanka Mega March.
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ver two hundred Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine of all ages got together last Saturday, on 25th of May, on Trafalgar Square to demonstrate the beauty and picturesque of Ukrainian national costume. The First London Vyshyvanka Mega March has been organised by a group of young Ukrainian activists with the support of Ukrainian Embassy in London and Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain as social initiative
aimed to promote Ukrainian culture and history across the world. Five-mile march in vyshyvankas has started from the heart of London, Trafalger Square where it has received its blessing from the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Volodymyr Khandohiy. After this, the picturesque procession, singing and dancing, moved along the Mall to the Royal Buckingham Palace, and then down the Constitutional Hill through Hyde Park towards the monument of Volodymyr the Great on the Holland Park Avenue. The event featured performances of Ukrainian School, Ukrainian folk songs and poems, dances and games. Numerous tourists and londoners spending time in sunny London showed live interest to the people in unusual picturesque costumes, and some even managed to participate in Ukrainian national games! Vyshyvanka Mega March became a part of Ukrainian project, which simultaneously was held in the different cities and
countries around the world. Apart from two dozens Ukrainian cities, Ukrainian costume was celebrated
in the cities of Andorra, Kazakhstan, Mozambique, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain. www.ukremb.org.uk
Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 30, 2013
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art exhibitions
Ukrainian photographers members of the Royal Photographic Society
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The exhibition of the Ukrainian Photographers members of The Royal Photographic Society will be held at the Embassy of Ukraine in London on June 11
KRAINE and the World is an international project launched by Ann Gallery
late last year, which features Ukrainian photographers Andriy Kotlyarchuk, Yuriy Sanin, Valentyna Yesipova, Anatoliy Kovalsky and
Vitaliy Zaporozhchenko. The works depict contrasts in today’s everchanging world. This exhibition offers
you the opportunity to examine those disparities through the lens of these five talented photographers.
Impressions of Holland Park Art exhibition of Ukrainian artist Dmytro Dobrovolsky at The Ice House Gallery, Holland Park. Daily until 9 June, open till 7pm DMYTRO Dobrovolsky is a member of the Ukrainian National Union of Artists. Upon graduation from The College of Art and Design in 1988 and the Ukrainian National Academy of
For more information, please, contact Oksana Kyzyma, Press Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine to the UK
Fine Arts in 1994, Dobrovolsky has participated in numerous Ukranian and international exhibitions. His paintings are presented in private and museum collections in the Ukraine, the UK, the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, Israel, Russia and Estonia, just to name a few. Traveling is an essential part of Dmytro Dobrovolsky’s search for inspiration. Each new place gives him new ideas, new colours, new shapes, new moods and a different outlook.
Tel.: 020 7727 6312 E-mail: press@ukremb.org.uk Address: 60 Holland Park, London W11 3SJ
Issue #13, May 30, 2013 In the preparation of this issue materials of UKRINFORM, fotoble.com were used