Matthew Matuszak

On October 3, Marek Ziolkowski, Polish ambassador to Ukraine, delivered a lecture in Lviv for the students and staff of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU): "Polish-Ukrainian Relations as Part of the Architecture of Modern Europe." The ambassador spoke about the economy and border control, among other current issues. He also gave some historical perspective to his talk.

"As Polish exports are increasing, the number of Ukrainian goods coming to Poland is decreasing," Ziolkowski told his audience. The yearly exchange of goods between Ukraine and Poland amounts to more than US $1.5 billion. In 2001, however, Polish exports increased by 25%, reaching almost a billion dollars, while Ukrainian exports only amount to about $500 million. The ambassador thinks one cause of this economic disbalance between the countries is that part of their commercial exchange is done in the black market. Another cause is that transportation is the only service industry in which the countries have an exchange that has shown any growth.

Also in the field of economics: Ziolkowski confirmed that Poland is politically interested in the building of an oil pipeline from Odesa through Brody to Gdansk. Polish firms are ready to participate in a private international consortium that would guide the project.

The changing border control policy between the two countries was another important issue of the ambassador’s lecture. Ziolkowski admitted that July 1, 2003 "will be a very hot day for [him], and not only because of the air temperature." From that date on, Ukrainian citizens who want to cross over into Poland will require travel visas. The ambassador maintains that visas will be "a technical matter," quick to acquire and relatively inexpensive (20-60 Euros). For those who often visit the country, multiple-entry visas are planned. Not forgetting his audience, Ziolkowski mentioned that students would be able to take advantage of the services of the Polish embassy at no cost.

Freedom of movement between Poland and Ukraine has been an important issue for UCU since the revival of its predecessor, the Lviv Theological Academy, in 1994. Qualified theology professors since that time have often traveled from Poland to give lectures at the LTA/UCU, and Ukraine has responded in turn. The Rev Borys Gudziak, UCU’s rector, Vice-rector Myroslav Marynovcyh, and Dr Oleh Turii, director of UCU’s Institute of Church History, have all given lectures at Polish universities on the history and contemporary conditions of the Christian churches in Ukraine. Also, more than a dozen graduates of the Theological Academy have gone to Warsaw, Lublin and Krakow for graduate study.

This kind of contacts between experts, scholars, and students is "the most effective way … to normalize relations between Poland and Ukraine," according to Prof. Yaroslav Hrytsak, director of the Institute of Historical Research at Ivan Franko National University in Lviv. "Today it is most important to work on building relations not so much between governments, but more between societies and citizens," Prof Hrytsak maintains.

The Ukrainian Catholic University, Ivan Franko National University in Lviv, and the University of Warsaw recently created a consortium to facilitate the interdisciplinary, individualized study of Ukrainian students in Poland. "The idea of this consortium," according to Prof. Hrytsak, "is to build a quality system of education that will give the students themselves the possibility to choose their courses and to form their worldview according to their own interests and needs."

But not only scholars and students travel between the two countries. Ziolkowski said that every year 6 million Ukrainians cross the Polish border, and, of the 6000 criminals in Poland’s prisons, half are Ukrainians. The ambassador announced there will be no change in Poland’s foreign policy towards Ukraine, though certain security measures will be taken. There are now three Polish consulates in Ukraine: in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv. Two more are to be opened, in Lutsk and Odesa. Because of the new visa policy, there will be an increase in the number of Polish representatives in Ukraine.

UCU’s students are getting used to receiving dignitaries like Marek Ziolkowski. For example, Carlos Pascual, US ambassador to Ukraine, gave the address at this year’s commencement, and the ambassadors from Austria, France, Great Britain, and Germany all attended the university’s inauguration ceremonies in June.

Myroslav Marynovych summed up: "These kind of meetings that regularly occur at UCU are important for both sides: first of all, it’s an opportunity for the university to meet guests and to present itself, its existence, its plans and ideas. For the other side, it gives foreign dignitaries a chance to present the situation in their countries to an interested audience that listens with eager ears and actively responds to the presentation. So I’m glad that we had this event here, and we look forward to such meetings in the future."

For further information on the Ukrainian Catholic University, contact the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation, 2247 W Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60622. Telephone 773-235-8462, fax 773-235-8464, E-mail: ucef@ucef.org, website: www.ucef.org.