Training on "Security sector reform. Slovak experience" has began today, 16 June 2015, in Odessa. 35 representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations, experts, students will study the issues of reforming the security, the impact of NATO integration, public diplomacy.
The training with experts from Slovakia and Poland as speakers, will last for five days.
"This training is carried out by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in partnership with the Slovak Centre for the North Atlantic Affairs for the third time. During the training, we want to focus on the experience of Slovakia, which once managed to implement reforms in the security sector and become a NATO member. I would also like to hear the opinion of Ukrainian specialists who work in this area, and to think together, what we can offer Ukraine now, especially in such a difficult time for it "- said in his greetings, the Director of the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation Taras Mykhalniuk.
During the official opening of the event the speaker of the training, the Head of the Centre for European and North Atlantic Affairs of Slovakia and former State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Slovakia Róbert Ondrejcsák took the floor and emphasized the most important challenges for Ukraine and expressed his opinion about how NATO could respond to it.
"Russian foreign policy is a direct threat to the security in Europe. In Europe, the war between Russia and Georgia was seen as a single instance and not as a problem of the whole security system. It was a fatal mistake that contributed to the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine. For the last years NATO has been developing slowly, though dynamically. Recent events have shown that NATO should change its approach to the security maintenance in the region, as Russia intervenes actively in public discussions that take place in European countries. Russia wages the information war in Europe today. Unfortunately, every country has about 20% of the population who are exposed to such propaganda. The upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw should be decisive on the issue of NATO enlargement. Georgia and Ukraine should receive clear signals, but the countries must send a clear message about the intentions of NATO membership as well", - said Róbert Ondrejcsák.
Subsequent to the results of the training, the best participants will be able to visit Slovakia and communicate directly with Slovak officials, community activists, experts.
The project is carried out by the Arseniy Yatseniuk Open Ukraine Foundation in cooperation with the Center for European and North Atlantic Affairs (CENAA), NGO "Promoting intercultural cooperation" program of the British Council "Active citizens" supported by the SlovakAid Agency.
FOR INFORMATION:
The Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation is a non-governmental organization that aims to promote the development of public diplomacy and international cooperation with Ukraine.
Center for European and North Atlantic Affairs (CENAA) is a non-governmental organizations and research institute in the field of security policy, conducting trainings for representatives of civil society, young professionals, politicians and civil servants.
