| Phenomenon of a vibrant Ukrainian community in Spain [message #356] |
Sat, 01 March 2008 21:48 |
 eurofan
Messages: 143
Registered: January 2008 |
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The phenomenon of a vibrant Ukrainian community in Spain is not entirely new, but today’s quantity of that community is staggering. Following WW2 a handful of Ukrainians settled in Spain. Today the community numbers four hundred thousand. (According to the Ukrainian community leadership in Spain that number is six hundred thousand) However, only twenty five percent are considered legal. Heavy Concentrations are located in such cities as Madrid, Valencia, Mursia, Alicante, Seville and Villarrobledo.
Aside from increasing trade relations (last year trade between Ukraine and Spain exceeded one billion dollars), Ukraine’s top priority with Spain is reaching an agreement on immigration. The negotiations have been ongoing for several years and the draft is under scrutiny currently by Spain’s Foreign Ministry. This complex subject includes a number of issues including but not limited to employment, pension payment, etc. At the present time no sweeping legalization/amnesty of existing immigrants is anticipated. The government of Spain is enacting and implementing specific migrant workers procedures and pilot projects in various regions of Ukraine, i.e. Chernivtsi where visas will be issued by the Embassy of Spain in Kyiv.
There is a Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid, albeit is short-staffed and headed for some time now by a charge d’affairs. Additionally there is a Consulate General in Barcelona and an additional consulate just authorized. Despite the lack of an ambassador and short staff, the embassy is very active in assisting Ukrainian immigrants and developing relations with Spanish government officials. In the course of his stay in Spain the UWC president met with embassy personnel and held high level meetings arranged by the embassy with several Spanish ministries/departments – labor and social assistance, immigration, integration, culture and education and science.
The Ukrainian community is well organized with structures in heavily concentrated locations, including churches, community centers and Saturday schools. Churches are generally not Ukrainian owned but provide at little or no cost by the Spanish Catholic Church Additional community coordination is afforded by a federation of associations based in Valencia which is a member of the Ukrainian World Congress. The Federation of Ukrainian Associations in Spain organized a conference entitled “Ukraine-Spain: A step towards Europe” in Valencia on March 10, 2006, attended by Spanish and Ukrainian representatives. Additionally the UWC Council on Assistance to Ukraine’s citizens abroad held an informative assembly followed by a cultural program in Valencia on March 11, 2006.
Perhaps, the most positive characteristic of Ukrainians in Spain next to their size is their composition. The community is young, gender equally diverse with children, highly intelligent and respected by their Spanish neighbors. Additionally Spain enables property ownership by both legal residents and foreigners. The likelihood of long term duration for this community is quite high.
http://www.eurocup2012polandukraine.com
Euro 2012 Ukraine & Poland
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