On 30 November 2013, demonstrators protesting against the Ukrainian government’s decision to discontinue preparations for signing an Association Agreement with the European Union were violently attacked by riot police. These actions gave rise to two months of largely peaceful protest by hundreds of thousands of people in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. The protests soon become expressions of popular discontent with the escalating government authoritarianism.

On 16 January 2014 the Ukrainian parliament passed laws drastically curtailing freedom of speech and association. The legislation made most forms of protest against the authorities illegal and punishable by long prison sentences. The introduction of these laws sparked violence resulting in deaths and injuries and exacerbated the rift between Ukrainian society and the state.

A roundtable presented by the Monash European and EU Centre and the Mykola Zerov Centre for Ukrainian Studies, Monash University  

What Future for Ukraine? Wednesday 19 February - 6.00-8.00pm, Lecture theatre H1.25, Building H, 900 Dandenong Road, Caulfield East, Monash University Caulfield campus.

RSVP by 17 February 2014 to [email protected]

This public roundtable discussion addresses the origins and main features of the Ukrainian crisis of 2013-14, and contemplates possible developments of politics and political culture in Ukraine, as well as the country’s geopolitical orientation.
 

Speakers include:

Dr Natalie Doyle, Deputy Director, Monash European and EU Centre

Professor Leslie Holmes, Professorial Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne

Professor Jan Pakulski, Professor of Sociology, University of Tasmania and President, Australian Institute of Polish Affairs

Professor Marko Pavlyshyn, Director, Mykola Zerov Centre for Ukrainian Studies, Monash University 

Mr Stefan Romaniw OAM, Chair, Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations and Secretary-General, World Congress of Ukrainians

Chaired and moderated by Professor Pascaline Winand, Director, Monash European and EU Centre

Monash European and EU Centre (MEEUC)

Postal address: PO Box 197, Caulfield East VIC 3145, Australia

NEW Office location: Room B3.19, Building B, Caulfield campus, Melbourne, Australia

http://www.monash.edu.au/europecentre/

Tel: +61 3 990 34638
Fax: +61 3 990 34686

The Monash European and EU Centre is funded through a grant from the European Union and Monash University.