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IWP launched the advocacy campaign to support the European integration of UkraineUnder the Institute of World Policy initiative, city lights were placed on the central street of Kyiv under the title “There is a better side of Europe” Four layouts were designed to demonstrate the advantages of integration of Ukraine into the European Union. Among them:

“There is better side of Europe! Where a policeman respects you;” “There is a better side of Europe! Where a bribe is a ticket to jail;” “There is a better side of Europe! Where roads are built for cars and not for those who repair them;” “There is better side of Europe! Where market and not government regulates business;”
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“The idea of ​​the motto “There is a better side of Europe!” is that Ukraine – is also Europe, but there is also a better side in Europe, which is, at present, embodied in the European Union and it is where we should head today” said the director of the IWP Alyona Getmanchuk stated in the course of the presentation.

Also, during the presentation, the online thermometer was presented. Now,every Internet user could measure the temperature of relations between Ukraine and the EU. “The thermometer designed to draw maximum attention to the current state of relations between Ukraine and the EU among ordinary Ukrainian. And we hope that the Ukrainian authorities will respond to the voice of Ukrainian citizens who participated in this survey, “- said the first deputy director of the IWP Sergey Solodkyy.

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The IWP presented another creative component of the advocacy campaign – ” Vilnius calendar” that indicates time that is left until the Summit of the Eastern Partnership, which will take place in Vilnius where as it is expected the Association Agreement might be signed.

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Альона Гетьманчук, директор ІСП та Сергій Солодкий, заступник ІСП

The need for the campaign is justified by the fact that Ukraine has reached a key stage in its cooperation with the European Union: it depends from Ukrainian government whether Ukraine will be able to sign the Association Agreement by the end of 2013.

The campaign of IWP is a reminder for Ukrainian politicians about the kind of state they need to build. It is also a reminder for Ukrainian citizens about what kind of country they should demand from their government.

In several months the EU will decide whether to sign the Association Agreement with Ukraine at the Summit of “Easter Partnership” in Vilnius. Alyona Getmanchuk stresed that “However, regardless from the decision the Ukrainian civil society has to unite and to put as much effort as possible to promote the European idea among Ukrainians.”

The next phase of the advocacy campaign is that of “Street universities” across the regions of Ukraine, which will be devoted to European integration.

This campaign is part of the project “Soft Power of Ukraine in the European Union” that is implemented under “Ukraine National Initiatives to Enhance Reforms” (UNITER), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact in Ukraine