President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree approving the National Human Rights Strategy.
Decree No. 119/2021 was published on the President’s website and comes into force on the day of its publication.
According to the text of the document, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is instructed to draft, with the involvement of representatives of state and local authorities, as well as civil society institutions, domestic scientists and international experts, and to approve within three months an action plan for the implementation of the strategy for 2021-2023.
“The strategy is aimed at uniting society in matters of values of human rights and freedoms, which are ensured and protected on the basis of the principles of equality and non-discrimination. The document focuses on solving the main systemic problems in the field of ensuring the implementation and protection of human rights and freedoms in the face of new challenges the society is faced with,” the press service of the head of state said.
It is envisaged that the implementation of the strategy will be carried out in 27 main directions, including the prevention of torture and ill-treatment of people, ensuring the right to a fair trial, ensuring freedom of peaceful assembly and association, preventing and combating discrimination, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men, combating domestic violence, ensuring the rights of indigenous peoples and national minorities, ensuring the rights of the child, environmental rights, the rights of war veterans, the rights of internally displaced persons and persons living in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
The implementation of the strategy also provides for the restoration of the rights of persons deprived of their liberty as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the occupation of a part of the territory, ensuring the rights of persons who disappeared under special circumstances and their family members, overcoming the negative consequences of the conflict caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, etc.
The result of the implementation of the strategy should be the introduction of a systematic approach to ensuring human rights and freedoms, as well as the coordination of actions of the authorities, civil society and business and the creation in Ukraine of an effective mechanism for the implementation and protection of human rights and freedoms.
In addition, the implementation of the strategy should ensure progress in the implementation of Ukraine’s international treaties in the field of human rights, in particular the Association Agreement with the European Union, as well as contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals of Ukraine for the period up to 2030 and improve the country’s position in international human rights rankings.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed law No. 1328-ih on amendments to the law of Ukraine on the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons on the submission of biometric data by foreigners and stateless persons for visa applications, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on March 4, 2021.
The presidential press service said on Tuesday, the document is aimed at improving visa procedures and introducing biometric Ukrainian visas for foreigners and stateless persons.
“According to the law, foreigners and stateless persons are obliged to submit their biometric data in the manner prescribed by the Cabinet of Ministers during visa processing, unless otherwise provided by law. Failure to submit biometric data by a foreigner is defined as an additional ground for refusing to grant him a Ukrainian visa,” the press service said.
According to it, the law comes into force on the day following the day of its publication, and enacts six months after its entry into force.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed law No. 1235-IX on Ukraine’s accession to the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes, which the Verkhovna Rada adopted on February 16, 2021, and which allows Ukraine not only to participate in cultural routes, but also to promote its own historical and cultural heritage.
“We have a wonderful country, very multifaceted and interesting. But, unfortunately, due to bad roads and lack of attention from the state to our historical monuments, Ukraine was almost not present on the tourist routes of Europe. But we will change that. This year, within the framework of Big Construction we are starting the Big Restoration project, which is aimed at the restoration of historical and cultural sites in Ukraine. So that both Ukrainians and foreign tourists can see the beauty and cultural diversity of Ukraine. We are building roads, improving the management of cultural heritage sites and joining the European agreement on cultural routes so that people both inside and outside the country learn more about Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
The Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes was confirmed by Resolution CM / Res (2013) 66 in the city of Strasbourg. This agreement aims to create a common cultural space in Europe by raising awareness of cultural heritage, promoting cultural dialogue in Europe, and through cross-border tourism.
Some 34 countries are parties to the agreement, and partners are the European Union and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Some 40 European cultural routes, which run in more than 50 countries, have received the Cultural Route of the Council of Europe certification as a quality distinction. Three European cultural routes now pass through the territory of Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen to join the Crimean Platform and take part in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.
“Thank you Van der Bellen for supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty & territorial integrity. Grateful that you agree to help speed up Ukraine’s receipt of vaccine under COVAX. Please accept invitations to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence and to join the Crimean platform,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter on Friday.
The press service of the head of state reported later that in the telephone conversation of the presidents, the main attention was paid to the measures that are being taken in Ukraine and Austria in order to counter the spread of coronavirus and strengthen the protection of citizens. Zelensky also stressed the importance of solidarity distribution of certified vaccines. In turn, Van der Bellen confirmed his readiness to facilitate the accelerated receipt of vaccines in Ukraine within the framework of the COVAX initiative.
“In my opinion, the most important thing is for this vaccine to be of high quality and effective. The sooner Ukraine receives new batches of vaccines, the sooner vaccinations will take place in our country,” Zelensky said.
In addition, the parties agreed that international sanctions against the Russian Federation should be maintained until the full restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky made changes to the composition of the Coordination Council for solving problems in urban planning, excluding Head of the Executive Committee of the National Reforms Council of Ukraine Mikheil Saakashvili, and appointed Giorgi Tskhakaia to be expert on the committee.
The head of state signed relevant decree No. 87/2021 on March 4, according to the presidential website.
Earlier, the president appointed Olena Shuliak as head of the Coordination Council. Head of the Coordination Center for ensuring interaction with the Cabinet of Ministers Volodymyr Kladiyev has been appointed its secretary.
COUNCIL FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS, MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, SOLVING PROBLEMS
An independent energy system, cheap energy is the main goal that Ukraine is striving for, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said during a meeting devoted to the development of infrastructure and the energy sector on Wednesday.
According to the press service of the head of state, the meeting chaired by Zelensky was attended by Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak, Deputy Heads of the President’s Office Yulia Svyrydenko and Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Minister of Infrastructure Vladyslav Krykliy, Acting Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yuriy Vitrenko, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Housing and Utilities Services Andriy Gerus.
“An independent energy system, cheap energy is the main goal that Ukraine is striving for. Every Ukrainian should feel energy security and receive socially fair bills for provision of energy services,” Zelensky said.
In turn, Vitrenko said that he is working closely with the Ministry of Digital Transformation to create affordable and effective electronic services for consumers. He also said that Ukraine will put energy efficiency to a new qualitative level and will actively work on integration with the European Union in this area.
In addition, Krykliy said how the road infrastructure is being modernized and brought to the level of EU standards.
“The roads are being built according to European standards. We are introducing automatic control of the weight and speed of vehicles, rebuilding airports, working as a team to sign the Common Aviation Area Agreement with the EU. Our goal is also to eliminate monopoly in the transport system,” Krykliy said.
In addition, he said that his ministry is working to increase the share of transportation using inland waterways, liberalize, digitalize transport service markets, and simplify the working environment for business.
The meeting participants also discussed the provision of lighting for Ukrainian highways and roads, on which the Ministry of Infrastructure will work together with the Ministry of Energy.
“Ukraine should have a modern and safe infrastructure, integrated into the global transport system, which ensures high mobility of the population. This was part of my election program, and this is supported by the Ukrainians,” Zelensky said.
