Supported by: German Marshall Fund of the U.S.

Project Span: January 2008 – October 2008

Project Team: Grigorij Mesežnikov, Oľga Gyárfášová, Martin Bútora (IVO, Slovakia), Ilko Kucheriv (DIF, Ukraine)

Partners: Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF)

Objectives:

In Ukrainian society Euro Atlantic orientation and above all NATO presents extremely controversial and polarizing issue. The proponents believe that NATO accession would mean to achieve full sovereignty, an important step towards the Euro-Atlantic integration and consolidation of democracy. On the other hand the opponents are recruited from different social and cultural environments reaching from religious groups to extreme left anti-globalists. Still, the majority of the public is not sufficiently informed about the integration and due to that holds ambivalent stances.

The main goal of this project is to assist Ukrainian NGOs representatives as well as other public and independent opinion-making actors (journalist, experts, teachers etc.) in promoting the national debate on future strategic orientation of Ukraine and to improve and to deepen public debate and communication on Euro-Atlantic integration in Ukraine. The integration should be presented in broader context of strengthening the democratic institutions and free market economy and not only as a military and security bond. Slovakia should serve as an example and model country.

Another important objective of the project is to build up a cooperation network and joint Slovak - Ukrainian presentations of the project outcomes, actual situation and reached progress in Brussels at EU, NATO HQ, and expert forum.

Outputs:

1. Regional workshops in Ukraine.
2. Internships (study stays) of four Ukrainian experts in Slovakia
3. Preparation of policy paper
4. Joint presentations in Brussels.