News 2021
23/12/2021
Season's Greetings
Dear Members and Friends of Ukrainian-Austrian Association,
As this challenging year is coming to an end, we would like to wholeheartedly thank you for being with us and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
We are looking forward to seeing You in 2022!
Sincerely yours,
Alfred F. Praus, Marianna Kordun, Stefan Haböck
17/12/2021
UAA attended Vil’na Natsia Roundtable
On December 17, 2021, a roundtable "The role of civic organizations in the country with a rule of law" was held in Vinnytsia and was attended by more than 40 civic organizations.
The meeting was organized by the libertarian movement "Vil’na Natsia" [Free Nation].
The participants discussed the importance of civic organizations in the formation of state policy, the problems of the region and ways to solve them, agreed on a common platform for the exchange of experiences and opinions.
In the opening remarks, Pavlo Janzen, head of the Vil’na Natsia libertarian movement, said: "We want to create not just a project for communication, but a full-fledged platform for uniting, collaborating and sharing experiences among NGOs, regardless of their location."
Alfred Praus, founder and president of the Ukrainian-Austrian Association, addressed the Vinnytsia audience for the first time: "Free Ukraine means freedom in the economy and business, based on the principles of private enterprise with minimal government interference and restrictions."
We invite you to watch the recording of the online broadcast of the roundtable, and namely the speech of Alfred F. Praus on possible ways to foster foreign investment and consequently prosperity.
15/12/2021
New partnership: UAA and Vil’na Natsia!
On December 15, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Ukrainian-Austrian Association and the All-Ukrainian Civic Union Vil’na Natsia [Free Nation]. Vil’na Natsia was represented by Pavlo Yantsen, Chairman of the Board, while Alfred F. Praus, President of UAA and President of the Rotary Club Kyiv International Business, represented the Ukrainian-Austrian Association.
The parties undertook to consolidate joint efforts in promoting the development of the free market economy in Ukraine.
Alfred has already participated in the event by Vil’na Natsia, namely the “Free-2021” networking conference on November 20, where he explained the importance of implementing libertarian principles in economics. He is also joining the roundtable by Vil’na Natsia in Vinnytsia on December 17.
In turn, Vil’na Natsia has expressed its intention to join the event under the auspices of the Ukrainian-Austrian Association in 2022.
We hope for fruitful cooperation and implementation of joint projects in the field of economic freedoms development.
23/11/2021
«FREE PEOPLE - 2021» CONFERENCE
On November 20, Ukrainian-Austrian Association has participated in the networking conference «Free people - 2021» by Vil’na Natsia NGO, with UAA President Alfred Praus covering the issue of economic development of free Ukraine.
“What means Free Ukraine? It means freedom in economy and business. And this designates that there are principles of private enterprise with minimum government interference. What are the criteria for appointing top politicians? Is it professional skills and education, or is it just loyalty? If you want to change to free economy, you need strong motivated people driving this change, and not just loyal and in some cases not real professionals. Presence of non-professionals often produces erratic political and economic decisions, that sometimes even go back to Soviet times.” – said Alfred Praus.
To see Alfred’s presentation demonstrated during the conference, please check here.
To learn more, please check the following articles at LB and E-Pravda.
26/10/2021
IV National Sme Development Forum 2021: From Resilience To Sustainability
On October 26, the President of Ukrainian-Austrian Association Alfred F. Praus took part in the IV National SME Development Forum 2021: from Resilience to Sustainability, hosted by the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in hybrid format, which brought together half a thousand entrepreneurs and dozens of donor organizations.
Alfred Praus contributed to the forum speaking about the role of international business associations and bilateral chambers in support of such development. «Many companies in the middle segment have the tools for going international, if they offer competitive products or services, they merit support. In the micro and small segment international support mostly prerequires a start-up with a truly unique selling proposition” – said Alfred F. Praus.
The full Programm can be found here.
30/09/2021
UAA JOUR FIXE HELD
On Wednesday September 29, Ukrainian-Austrian Association hosted UAA Jour Fixe.
Honored by the presence of Vitaly Portnikov as a guest speaker, UAA welcomed a wide range of distinguished guests: UAA members, chair people from ICBAC, from Rotary Club Kyiv International Business (RCKIB) and others interested in the development of international cooperation between Ukraine and Austria.
Alfred Praus: “UAA will cooperate to a bigger extent with its Austrian sister organization in Austria, Österreichisch-Ukrainische Gesellschaft (ÖUG), and with the Intercountry Committee Ukraine-Austria under the #Rotary flag [which will be chartered beginning of November and which is chaired in Ukraine by Alfred F. Praus as President of Rotary Club Kyiv International Business]. Such alliance, with the support of the Ambassadors of both countries, will certainly foster bilateral relations and further improve the image of Ukraine in Austria.”
Our guest speaker Vitaly Portnikov was at his best, delivering his observations and opinions on the status of Ukraine with a profound historic overview on the links between economy, culture and identity, and on Ukraine’s prospects both in domestic and international terms, as a matter of fact with a focus on Putin’s Russia and EU. Needless to say that Mr. Portnikov’s views are sharp-minded and very sober, and that he is a brilliant and witty speaker. “The nations are not served their countries on a plate. And so, if there is a wish to keep Ukraine in the territories it currently exists, nobody else, but Ukrainians are to build Ukraine”.
As a consequence we all experienced a very lively and both intensive and extensive discussion in a perfect mood with an impressive number of our guests, which lasted beyond 11:00 PM.
We thank all our guests for the kind words and stunning participation making the evening memorable indeed!
26/09/2021
Rotary Convention of International Service and Intercountry Committees in Salzburg, and ICC Ukraine-Austria
Alfred F. Praus, President of Ukrainian-Austrian Association, President of Rotary Club Kyiv International Business, and Chairman Ukraine of International Country Committee Ukraine-Austria (under establishment) has attended Rotary Convention of International Service and Intercountry Committees (ICCs) at hotel Grand Sheraton in beautiful Salzburg on a wonderful late summer day on 25 September with 40 club presidents and other high ranking Austrian Rotarians attending. Making PR for the new ICC Austria-Ukraine together with his Austrian peer, ambassador Bernhard Zimburg. We have now 3 great clubs from each Austria and Ukraine participating and plan to charter the ICC end of October.
Looking forward indeed!
22/09/2021
INVITATION
UAA Jour Fixe on September 29, 2021!
Dear members of Ukrainian-Austrian Association,
Dear all who are interested in Ukrainian-Austrian relations,
Herewith, we would like to cordially invite You to our Jour Fixe, which will take place on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 7 PM at Solomyanska Brovarnya (28a, Andriivskyi Descent). The top floor of this great location is exclusively reserved for us.
Beyond information about recent developments, among others the establishment by Rotary of the inter-country committee Ukraine – Austria, we will welcome the outstanding journalist, commentator and TV-host, and member of UAA Supervisory Board, Vitaly Portnikov. He will share his valuable insights with us on the current Ukrainian affairs.
Please note that due to a limited seating capacity, registration is mandatory.
Therefore, your confirmations to Marianna Kordun (m.kordun@ukrainian-austrian-association.com) would be much appreciated latest by 28 September evening.
We hope to see you there!
19/07/2021
UAA in support of the initiative by British-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce to establish a Judicial Ombudsman
With the judicial reform law passed by parliament recently important progress has been achieved.
“However, this is only one initial step within a bundle of measures necessary to arrive at a comprehensive and sustainable reform. Besides, it will take a long time indeed – even if things will be developing in the right direction – in order to see and feel the effects, as at least for several years to come there will be a long series of (il)legal issues requiring appropriate action by the judicial authorities which may not come about easily” – said President of Ukrainian-Austrian Association Alfred F. Praus.
Therefore, UAA is supporting the initiative by British-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce (BUCC) and its head Bate C. Toms to establish a Judicial Ombudsman.
To learn on the matter, please check the following materials (item 1, item 2).
29/06/2021
Lecture of UAA President for Internship Programme at the Verkhovna Rada
Last Thursday, per invitation to contribute to the Internship Programme at the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine) and share some beneficial knowledge with the young generation, Alfred F. Praus gave a lecture on Intercultural Communication and Management as an essential proviso to integrate with the EU.
Alfred F. Praus: “You have to understand the culture, and apply your knowledge, be open and soundly adaptive when dealing with a culture you are requesting cooperation with”.
We are truly grateful to the audience for their bright engagement during the lecture and thought-provoking questions.
To see the presentation demonstrated during the lecture, please check here.
18/06/2021
UAA Jour Fixe held!
Being inspired by the finally decreasing covid numbers, we decided to resume a UAA tradition of Jour Fixe, and so after a long break, we celebrated the opportunity on June 16, 2021.
Alfred F. Praus, President of Ukrainian-Austrian Association, President of Rotary Club Kyiv International Business, and recently appointed Ukrainian Chair of the newly-created Rotarian Inter-Country Committee Ukraine-Austria, opened the evening and set the mood by informing the audience on the recent positive developments for Ukrainian-Austrian Association in the light of Rotary District 2232 and Rotary Inter-Country support.
He also highlighted the importance of Ukrainians thinking and acting Western- and Central-European: "Ukraine is Europe. Ukrainians have to think more European, count in Euro and not dollars, and feel themselves a true part of Europe".
Prof. Ihor Zhaloba, member of UAA Supervisory Council, Chairman of Paneuropa Ukraine, against the backdrop of his co-chairmanship of the Austrian-Ukrainian Commission of Historians, gave a truly exciting overview on the joint roots of Austria and Ukraine, a historic development of Ukrainian-Austrian relations, and the modern times status.
Speaking about the situation in Austrian political arena regarding Ukraine, Prof. Zhaloba bittersweetly specified only Dr. Erhard Busek as a truly bright Austrian political figure standing for Ukraine in the last thirty years.
Note: Dr. Erhard Busek was a Vice-Chancellor of Austria until 1995, and now still is President of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe in Vienna, who sees Ukraine as an integral part of (Central) Europe, and who among his numerous honorary positions, is also a President of UAA Supervisory Board. In December 2019 UAA had an honor to host the presentation of Ukrainian translation of book "Central Europe Revisited" by E. Busek and Ambassador E. Brix, with the discussion on the role of Ukraine for Central Europe.
To mark the positive transition of Ukraine from Soviet heritage into European paradigm, Prof. Ihor Zhaloba indicated the recent establishment in Kyiv of a monument to Vasyl Vyshyvanyy [Archduke Wilhelm von Habsburg-Lothringen], the youngest son of Archduke Karl Stephan and Archduchess Maria Theresia and a colonel of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen [a Ukrainian unit within the Austro-Hungarian Army during the First World War], who did a lot for Ukraine's independence in the first half of XX century and lost his life persecuted by USSR. Ukraine is slowly but surely rediscovering its links to Western-European tradition...
We wholeheartedly thank Prof. Ihor Zhaloba, who, being a brilliant speaker and thought-provoker, at once made the audience actively involve in the discussion and so it stayed the whole evening.
We thank our wonderful guests - both UAA members and potential members - from Parliament, Rotary, Rotaract, OSCE, cultural sector, CEOs, entrepreneurs, talented youth, i.e. all those interested in the development of Austrian-Ukrainian relations, for coming and contributing to making our Jour Fixe the way it happened - joyful & insightful.
And we hope that next time, for balance purposes, we will have more Austrians at our Ukrainian-Austrian Jour Fixe!
Next UAA Jour Fixe is planned for September 2021.
Stay tuned!
02/06/2021
INVITATION:
UAA Jour Fixe on June 16, 2021!
Dear members of Ukrainian-Austrian Association,
Dear all who are interested in Ukrainian-Austrian relations,
Herewith, we would like to cordially invite You to UAA Jour Fixe, which will take place on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at 7 PM in the restaurant The Chef (30, Symona Petlyury Str.).
Please see the invitation and kindly take a note that the registration is mandatory.
We hope to see you there!
Besides, we are delighted to inform you that Alfred Praus, being President of Rotary Club Kyiv International Business, was unanimously appointed to be a Ukrainian Chair of the Rotarian Inter-Country Committee Ukraine-Austria, which he will build up together with his opposite in Austria, Ambassador (retired) Bernhard Zimburg.
This will certainly enhance the impact of UAA!
12/03/2021
UAA Online talk with Karl von Habsburg
Yesterday the President of Ukrainian-Austrian Association Alfred F. Praus hosted an online-talk with Karl von Habsburg, the grandson of the last Austro-Hungarian emperor as well as, among a series of other missions and appointments, the President of the Pan-European Movement in Austria.
We thank Mr. Habsburg for a truly insightful speech about the Paneuropean Movement and its significance for Ukraine, and the participants for a very interesting discussion.
To watch the recording of the meeting, please check here
To read the report by Ukrinform, please check here.
01/03/2021
INVITATION:
Ukrainian-Austrian Association - Online talk with Karl von Habsburg on March 11, 2021 at 07:00 PM (EET)
Dear members and friends of Ukrainian-Austrian Association, UAA has been granted a privilege to host an online-talk with the grandson of the last Austro-Hungarian emperor and President of the Paneuropean Movement in Austria, Karl von Habsburg on Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 07:00 PM (Kyiv time)
The speech of Karl von Habsburg on Paneuropean Movement and its significance for Ukraine will be followed by a Q&A-session.
We kindly ask you to register: m.kordun@ukrainian-austrian-association.com. Only registered participants will be permitted to ask questions to Karl von Habsburg.
ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83145828894. Language of the event: English
For more details please see the invitation or contact us.
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
13/01/2021
Privatization in Ukraine to be started in 2021
On 13 January 2021 the International Council of Business Associations and Chambers in Ukraine (ICBAC) invited for a mostly online-meeting and discussion with the CEO of the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPFU), Dmytro Sennychenko, at the Coliseum Hall of UCCI. UAA President and ICBAC General Secretary Alfred F. Praus was moderating this event.
The full event can be watched at youtu.be/C9TMR4vTA2U
The photos can be watched here.
Summary:
A professional, ambitious and, most of all, necessary approach by SPFU to break up the resistance of some stakeholders, to create conditions acceptable for potential investors in privatisation of state companies not being of strategic importance for Ukraine and finally to see to the straight-forward and transparent offer-, bidding - and hopefully selling process. Political decisions in Verkovna Rada concerning the list of companies are aimed at for spring 2021.
Focal points in the factual discussion following, among others: involvement of international IFIs and auditing companies; due diligence processes, guarantees by SPFU (or the state); how to deal with wrongdoers in the previous management; how to handle overstaffing at many of those state companies.
ICBAC expressed its continued interest in this initiative and will support SPFU in that.
06/01/2021
Privatization in Ukraine in 2021:
Discussion with Mr. Dmytro Sennychenko, CEO, State Property Fund of Ukraine
Online Meeting on January 13, 2021 at 11:00 AM (Kyiv time)
Invitation
We would like to call your attention to the Online Discussion with the Head of State Property Fund of Ukraine held by the International Council of Business Associations and Chambers in Ukraine (ICBAC), where UAA is a member, on January 13, 2021.
End of December a bill aimed at comprehensively modernizing privatization legislation in Ukraine was passed in the Parliament (full name of the bill – “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine in the cases of Improvement of the State Policy of Management and Privatization of State and Municipal Property, as well as the Institutional Principles of activity of the State Property Fund of Ukraine”). Its purpose is to simplify and expedite privatization procedures, protect and encourage investment and restore investors’ trust in Ukraine and its state institutions.
During the meeting ICBAC-members will discuss with Mr. Dmytro Sennychenko the implications of such bill and of the privatization programme.
The discussion will be held in English.
Please see the Programm enclosed and join us!
To join the streaming of the event: youtu.be/C9TMR4vTA2U