24 August marks Ukraine’s national day, which commemorates the declaration of independence in 1991. In the midst of Russia’s brutal aggression, the European Commission joins Ukraine in celebrating its thirty-first year of independence. President Ursula von der Leyen participated yesterday in the online Summit of the Crimea Platform, during which she restated the Commission unwavering support for Ukraine. Last night, the Commission’s headquarters building was lit up with the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Photos are available here. This morning, President von der Leyen, in a video message, paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Ukrainian people and highlighted the many strands of enduring European support. This morning the President also participated in a special event in the Grand Place of Brussels organised by the Mission of Ukraine to the EU, the Association of Ukrainians in Belgium and the Ukrainian Civil Society Hub. During this event, a 30 m long Ukrainian flag will be unfurled. Audiovisual material of the event will be available in the AV portal shortly. Furthermore, the Berlaymont is currently hosting the exhibition “Irpin.Invincible”, dedicated to the Ukrainian city of Irpin, the war and the life in the city under Russian occupation. The exhibition shows the damage caused to the city, which has been designated as a “Hero City” for its courageous effort in resisting the Russian invaders. You can find an updated version of the factsheets on EU solidarity with Ukraine here and here.
European Citizens’ Initiative: ‘Tobacco free environment’
Today, the Commission decided to register a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Call to achieve a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030′. The organisers of the initiative call on the Commission to propose legislation to save new generations from falling into tobacco addiction, to act against related environmental dangers and against smoking. As this European Citizens’ Initiative fulfils the formal conditions, the Commission considers that it is legally admissible. The Commission has not analysed the substance of the proposal at this stage. Following today’s registration, the organisers have six months to open the signature collection. If a European Citizens’ Initiative receives one million statements of support within one year, from at least seven different Member States, the Commission will have to react. The Commission could decide to take the request forward or not, and will be required to explain its reasoning.
Myanmar/Bangladesh – Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell, Commissioner Lenarcic, and Commissioner Urpilainen on the 5th Anniversary of the Rohingya crisis
High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, and Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, issued a joint statement ahead of the 5th anniversary of the Rohingya crisis: “On 25 August 2017, the world witnessed the beginning of the forced displacement of more than 750 000 Rohingya people from Rakhine State in Myanmar, fleeing violence and persecution from the Myanmar military. (…) Five years later, and despite international efforts and calls on Myanmar to create the conditions for their return to their homeland, the future of the Rohingya remains uncertain. (…) The EU continues to advocate for the safe, sustainable, dignified, and voluntary return of the Rohingya refugees to their places of origin and to support the work of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar to ensure full accountability for the crimes committed against them. Addressing the root causes of this protracted crisis, including the systematic abuses suffered by the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya remaining in Rakhine State, must remain an international priority.” You can read the full statement here.
Source: Cyprus News Agency