Oleksandr SHCHERBA, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Austria, can rightly be counted among the new generation of Ukrainian diplomats. He speaks fluent English and German, is very active in social networks, constantly comments on the developments in our country, writes articles for Austrian mass media, and takes parts in debates on Austria’s national television. Just the other day on Facebook he posted information about a new sort of Austrian wine named Nadia, in honor of the Ukrainian pilot who was kidnapped and smuggled into Russia, and stands unlawfully accused of allegedly murdering Russian journalists. Our Skype interview with Shcherba started with the story of the wine named in honor of Nadia Savchenko.
“I happened to befriend a wine business in the Wachau valley. Each year this sizeable enterprise invites ambassadors to baptize a new wine. The ‘godfather’ has one privilege, to pick the name for the wine. I brought up the question before my Facebook followers. The majority voted for the name Nadia.”
Before you left for Austria a year ago, you said in an interview that Ukraine needed to have a clear voice in Austria. Do you think we succeeded?
“It seems to me we did. A lot of my articles were published in Austrian national media. There were television debates with the Russian ambassador on a central Austrian TV station in prime time, where Ukraine did quite well. There were lots of discussions with people who are rather pro-Russian. That is to say, I did not hide, and sought an opportunity to speak to the public, so that Ukraine’s voice could be heard. This is why I believe that the mission of ‘becoming a voice’ was accomplished during the first year.”
“THE HISTORICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN UKRAINE AND AUSTRIA TURNED OUT LESS TOPICAL THAN I HAD EXPECTED”
You must have read Henry Kissinger’s Diplomacy. There is one quote about the then leaders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire: “The Habsburg rulers were men of principle.” Could you say the same of the incumbent rulers? Do they stick to the European principles the way they keep urging us to?
“In my view, values remain central both for an average Austrian citizen and the country’s leadership. The matter is, what we mean by values. Unfortunately, due to propaganda, many Austrians believe that in our case this is not a battle for values, but a misunderstanding (artificial or natural) between two neighboring nations, and that it is up to those two nations to settle their problem. If you ask an average Austrian and politician how important and big the values factor is in the Ukrainian conflict, they are very unlikely to understand what you are talking about. We are working to fix it, we explain things. The situation in this respect is changing, albeit not so fast as we would like it to. One of the reasons (and not the least important) for this is that Europeans find truth in this question a lot more uncomfortable than lies.”
Shouldn’t the fact that a part of Ukraine used to belong to the Austro-Hungarian Empire help understand Ukraine’s aspiration for freedom and independence from Russia?
“Actually, this does not matter very much. The historical connection between Ukraine and Austria turned out less topical than I had expected. The sudden absence of Russian tourists, who spent money like water, matters more to many Austrians than the fact that Ukraine used to be part of Austria-Hungary.”
We in Ukraine are aware that a number of countries like Slovakia, Hungary, Greece, and Cyprus are “weak links” that advocate the lifting of the EU sanctions against Russia. Is Austria one of them, given that the Austrian president said in a recent interview to Russian media that he supported the lifting of the sanctions?
“Mr. Fischer actually said that sanctions must be lifted as soon as progress is made, in particular, in implementing the Minsk agreements. And the headlines in Russian mass media did not correspond to the contents of the interview. Meanwhile, Mr. Fischer said that the sanctions were imposed for a certain reason. And as soon as the reason is removed, the sanctions will be lifted.”
“MY FAMILY’S HISTORY PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT UKRAINIANS PLAYED BY FAR NOT THE LEAST ROLE IN BREAKING HITLER’S BACK IN AUSTRIA”
In Vienna I saw a monument to Soviet troops who liberated Austria. We have heard Russia say that it was Russian, not Soviet, troops that played a role in liberating Europe from Nazism. However, Ukraine and Belarus (and consequently, their populations) suffered the worst. Do we make use of the fact that Ukrainians liberated certain Austrian cities?
“As a matter of fact, Vienna was liberated by the Second and Third Ukrainian Fronts. And as soon as I am told that Russians liberated Austria, I remind my interlocutor of the fact. My grandmother’s brother is buried here, in Austria. Thus, my family’s history provides evidence that Ukrainians played by far not the least role in breaking Hitler’s back in Austria.”
Austria was able to exact the withdrawal of Soviet troops by perpetuating its neutrality in its constitution. Do you think this declaration of neutrality is being eroded in connection with the recent developments in the world?
“It is one of the pillars of political thinking in Austria. There are three issues on which Austrians seem absolutely unanimous. Firstly, the neutrality, secondly, the inadmissibility of nuclear power plants on Austrian ground, and thirdly, the inadmissibility of genetically modified foods. There is a national consensus on these issues.”
We see that now Germany and France are pressurizing Ukraine into complying with literally all provisions of the Minsk agreements, disregarding the fact that Russia effectively despises those agreements. What is the attitude to Minsk in Austria?
“I would not say that Austria is as persistent, but everything is worded very diplomatically: all the parties in the conflict must comply with their obligations under the Minsk agreements. This is exactly how President Heinz Fischer presented Austria’s stand at the reception for foreign ambassadors on January 12.”
“AUSTRIAN INVESTORS ARE VERY DIRECT ABOUT IT: IF YOU WANT TO ATTRACT SIZEABLE INVESTMENTS TO UKRAINE, MAKE THIS WAR STOP”
How are the bilateral economic relations developing? Is there any progress?
“On account of the war, the progress is very weak. In 2015 the bilateral trade shrunk. Austrian investors are very direct about it: if you want to attract sizeable investments to Ukraine, make this war stop.”
On your Facebook page you informed about launching a new format of cooperation: a business club for investors called Ukrainian Circle Vienna. How do you see the prospects of this initiative?
“I see it as a platform for communication for business circles, first of all for Austrian investors. There is a great interest in Ukraine as an investment market, especially now that the DCFTA agreement between the EU and Ukraine became fully operational. On the other hand, there are great fears. Way too often people had nasty experiences with Ukrainian bureaucracy and Ukrainian corruption. But exactly this situation must become the backdrop for, firstly, the idea of irreversibility of Ukrainian reforms. Secondly, there must be more publicity for positive examples of investment activity in Ukraine. Speaking of Austria, we certainly mean UNIQA, the biggest Austrian company in the Ukrainian market today.
“To the next meeting of the business club I intend to invite Carl Sturen, the Swedish founder of the Ukrainian concern Chumak. This man has been working in Ukraine for over two decades and could share some secrets of his success. Such things need to happen, and it is important that they happen in an informal, exciting, and relaxed atmosphere.”
What tips could you give our business owners for them to use the opportunities associated with the enactment of the Free Trade Area agreement with the EU?
“Our business owners who aspire to enter the Austrian market should by all means unite their efforts. The Austrian market is closed and highly competitive. Recently I had a meeting at the headquarters of BILLA. I asked them how we could get the doors open for Ukrainian manufacturers, say, to give them access to Austrian chains. I got this answer: you must propose the terms which would be competitive compared to those of European manufacturers. This includes compliance to standards, prices, the terms of financing, as well as the terms and conditions of delivery. If at least one or two products become well-known here, in Austria, the rest will follow suit, and soon. If at least one chain takes a Ukrainian product on, others will do the same. Now we are in that phase when a window must be made.”
“THIS YEAR WE PLAN TO HOLD THE DAYS OF UKRAINIAN CULURE IN SALZBURG, A CULTURAL MECCA OF EUROPE”
Many call Vienna the cultural capital. What can and must we offer to approach Austrians via our culture and help them understand us better?
“Past year, November 20 through 29, we held an extraordinary event, the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Vienna, initiated by an association of volunteers ‘Center of Ukrainian Initiatives.’ The Center did all the planning, invited Ukrainian performers, booked concert halls, while the Embassy found sponsors and investors and ensured the representative part of the event. It was an example of cooperation of state and non-governmental sector. I hope that such projects will continue. This year we plan to hold the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Salzburg, a cultural Mecca of Europe.”
ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE OLEKSANDR SHCHERBA POSTED INFORMATION ABOUT A NEW SORT OF AUSTRIAN WINE NAMED “NADIYA,” IN HONOR OF THE UKRAINIAN PILOT WHO WAS KIDNAPPED AND SMUGGLED INTO RUSSIA, AND STANDS UNLAWFULLY ACCUSED OF ALLEGEDLY MURDERING RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS: “OKAY, I REALIZE THAT NADIA SAVCHENKO HAS HER HANDS FULL WITH OTHER PROBLEMS AT THE MOMENT… BUT THE THICKEST PRISON WALLS CRUMBLE SOONER OR LATER. AND WHEN NADIA IS FREE AGAIN, WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE IT WITH. A WINE NAMED ‘NADIYA.’ IN THE BEST TRADITIONS OF AUSTRIAN VINICULTURE. FROM THE BEST VINE OF WACHAU VALLEY. BAPTIZED BY THE UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR. THE NAME WAS CHOSEN BY UKRAINIANS ON FACEBOOK. STAND FIRM, NADIA!”
What else must we do to help Austria find out more about our country and why we chose the path to Europe?
“What is necessary is a sort of mass education, communication with people on all levels. In the first year I had meetings with the leadership of all federal states. Now is the time to meet mayors, university presidents, and to speak more extensively before students. Certainly, we will also work on developing the political dialog. In particular, now we are engaged in preparing the visit of Ukraine’s president to Austria.”
When can this take place?
“This year, or the next. Now the presidential election campaign is beginning in Austria. In April the new president is to be elected, who will take office in June. After that we need to obtain an invitation from him. And then the active stage of the preparations will begin. We are working on it now.”
“YOU CAN PUBLISH IT: OUR STUDENTS ARE WELCOME AT GRAZ”
I heard from Czech diplomats that Prague is competing with Warsaw for Ukrainian students. What can be said about Austrian cities in this respect? Are they interested in Ukrainians coming to study there?
“Those universities compete which already know Ukrainian students. In principle, Ukrainian students and Ukrainian youth in general enjoy a very positive reputation. Recently I visited the University of Graz. Its president spoke very highly of Ukrainian students’ qualification and expressed a wish to see more of them. So, you can publish it: our students are welcome at Graz.”
Do they have to know German?
“Yes, German or English. At another school where I gave a speech, the international Management Center Innsbruck (MCI), teaching is in English.”
You will probably remember our idea to hold the Winter Olympics in the Carpathians, and you frequently visit various ski resorts in the Alps. Now that you have seen the Austrian know-how in this field, do you think that we are equal to the task? Could we host such games?
“Of course, there is absolutely nothing impossible for us. Those Austrians who visited the Carpathians, investors included, speak of a huge potential of the region. That is why we are equal to the task. The main thing is to see the war end, and the economy grow, and then we can pull it all off.”
