Dr. Igor Huk is an academically educated person, professor of Vienna university, vascular surgeon-transplantologist. In 2000, he became a member of the National Academy of sciences of Ukraine. He is very proud of this. Today, cooperation continues via the Academy of Sciences where transplantology department was open and headed by professor Nikonenko from Zaporizhya.

– One year ago we opened Ukrainian medical office in Vienna University, – Professor Igor Huk tells about his enthusiastic work on development of Ukraine – Austria relationships. – This is the first office of the kind that was open at the rector’s office of a German-language university and dedicated completely to work with Ukraine. A year ago, instructors exchange contract was signed between the Vienna University and Ternopil University (Ukraine). Such exchange will provide practical opportunity to familiarize with Bologna process and reach the European level of training the doctors in Ukraine. In future, we want same teaching standards for Austrian and Ukrainian medical staff.

Additionally, I am the Advisor to the President of the Committee on Economic and Social Issues of Ukraine with the European Commission. This is my new function – I was invited here by Austrian politicians working in Brussels. Our program’s agenda has been planned for the next few years. This February, we have already conducted our first workshop in Kyiv.

– Could you please tell us how can MD work as advisor on economic issues?

– My work on this committee is concerned, largely, with social and academic issues. We have people working on economic issues. E.g. at the last workshop, my duties included participation in all sessions, presenting explanatory speeches, providing reference information and getting European Commission officials to know the people I know personally, beginning with the first President of Ukraine.

My status in the European Commission allows me to include Ukraine on different programs – on research and development, social and cultural issues and financing of different projects. This work is very important for me, since, figuratively speaking, I set new paths to Ukraine. This is needed for both Ukraine and EU because there is a deficit of experienced cadre in Ukraine and EU. We all need education and training and so do I, since we are to develop a new direction.

Another domain of my activities is my work with Ukrainian Institute we established in Vienna together with our friends from Ukraine and Austria. European integration is a priority for our Institute. Indeed, we are trying to get Ukraine back to where it historically belonged – to the civilized Europe. For instance, well-known Ukrainian author Ivan Franko graduated from Vienna University in 1893, and a hundred years later, memorial plaque was posted on the university wall to honor him. This was the first Ukrainian public figure, politician, philosopher and writer that deserved a memorial plaque at Vienna University.

– What is your view of Ukraine’s future in Europe? What can you say as a European? Is Ukraine a partner on the basis of parity or just an industrial annex?

– I am a pragmatic, a surgeon – I begin my surgeries and I complete them. I just want to give you three examples. I am not going to speak for the entire EU, but only for Austria, since I live here.

Half a year ago, Austrian Burgenland Bank was offered for sale. There were many interested parties there, including a certain Ukrainian consortium. At the time, Austrian mass media provided extensive coverage of this event. Eventually, Ukrainian consortium won the tender. Why? Because they prepared for the tender in a very professional manner. Notwithstanding this, the bank was eventually sold to an Austrian consortium that occupied second place in the tender. Austrian press criticized fiercely the actions of local authorities, in particular, the Head of the County Council on the territory of which the tender was held. This is a fact! This is how serious and influential Austrian media write the professionalism of Ukrainian businessmen, bankers and companies that are not outsiders in Europe.

Here is my second example with regard to Ukraine’s future in Europe. The fact that I was appointed as advisor in one of the European Commission committees was not a coincidence. Government level officials know about our cooperation with Ukraine that began 16 years ago. For instance, Austrian company Fischer has worked in Ukraine for years and the skis it makes are manufactured in Ukraine and not in Austria. This is a proof of trust to Ukrainian workforce. Another direction is the Austrian banks (Reiffeisenbank, Erste Sparkasse) that are also present in Ukraine. Then again,

Austrian press writes a lot about Ukraine – Austria relationships. Clearly, there are some negative issues but both negative and positive issues could be found in any type of work. However, it is very important that today this work is performed on the government, business and academic levels. Austria, just as the EU in general, views Ukraine as their good neighbor. Therefore, there is an Actions Plan (Aktionsplan) with regard to Ukraine, where all cooperation programs are detailed. I would like to reemphasize that the EU is looking forward to having good pragmatic relations with its neighbor. It is European pragmatism that we are talking about.

Emotions are left behind, in 1990, when we first came to Ukraine where we had no friends or acquaintances. However, at this time, after our fruitful cooperation, everything has changed. Austrian Embassy operates in Kyiv, and there are many Austrian companies working in Ukraine. All this is a sign of pragmatic approach the Austrians use towards Ukraine and the interest they demonstrate to long-term cooperation.

Unfortunately, in Ukraine people do not realize that Austrians and Europeans in general lack information on Ukraine and that information campaigns are needed to promote Ukraine in Europe.

– Dr. Huk, what do you think about the following hypothetical situation: if average Austrian businessman faces the necessity to choose between a German company and Ukrainian company, would he be willing to choose Ukrainian partner?

– You know, this issue was topical 10 years ago. Today, Austrian business has come to Ukraine’s market (I have already mentioned Fischer, though there are many more companies). Their success in Ukraine is a direct proof of correctness of their choice.

In order to stimulate Austria – Ukraine relationships in the very beginning, colossal political work had to be done: government support of both countries had to be secured and certain intergovernmental agreements had to be signed. Today, this issue has been resolved. I want to say that not only Austrian companies work in Ukraine – Ukrainian businesses also enter Austrian market.

– Is the share of Ukrainian business in Austria significant?

– Yes. You see, Austrian population is only 8 million people, while almost 50 million people live in Ukraine. These are different scales. When a Ukrainian company comes to Austria, its scale is different – Ukrainian medium businesses are much larger that Austrian medium businesses.

– Many people talk about building Europe in Ukraine these days. Although United Arab Emirates are much farther from Ukraine than Ukraine, there people got very close to European standards of living…

– This summer, General Director of Ukrainian Trade Center Sergey Pachkovskiy invited me to Dubai. I heard about Dubai before. Many of my friends went there and were very excited when they came back. Doctors from Dubai also visit us for consultations or training. However, I had no idea about the situation in the region. Europeans have to be very focused on the situation, because in 10 years this region is going to be the First World, not the Third World. And if Europe misses the moment, we are going to become the third World. This is a global issue because it concerns Ukraine and the EU and Russia and all the Arab countries using the British system.

Many interesting conferences are held in the EU, where they discuss the future of Europe. It is hard to overestimate the role of Ukraine and Russia here, since we live on the same continent. Unless we realize that we have a common future to pursue, we are going to give up our positions to Arab countries, South America and China. Although, if we, the Europeans, join our efforts, we have chances to move forward successfully. This is my global thought I came to as a result of my European integration work over the past 16 years. This is why I support and promote any contacts with the European community.

We always talk about business, though life is not just business. Life is also culture, music and songs. I know that Strauss loved Kyiv and St. Petersburg (Russia). Liszt visited Kyiv and fell in love there. All this remains in our genes, as information. We oftentimes talk about general things, while we have to dig deeper. Mozart’s son died in Lviv (Ukraine) – and who knows about that? He moved there, worked and lived in Lviv. These are contacts that should be remembered.

Recently I met the Director of Dovzhenko Studios in Kyiv. I remember, when in 1977, in Vienna, there was a two-week Dovzhenko film festival. That was when I got the chance to see the first and the best movies filmed by this famous Ukrainian director. By the way, his movie “Land” won one of the prizes at a European festival.

– In contrast to Austria, United Arab Emirates share no musical or other cultural history with Ukraine. There is a huge gap there. However, Emirates are a kind of Switzerland, where capital flows and where cash flow is immense. Today, Dubai is the world’s third largest gold exchange market. It is beneficial for Ukraine move in the direction of both the UAE and Europe.

– You mentioned Switzerland. This European country was one of the first countries that showed interest to Ukraine and today it still works actively on business and political levels.

This is quite alright that Ukrainians and UAE people are not like each other, also on cultural level. However, we have to look for new ways to make Arabs interested in Ukraine, and Crimea, in particular. Resort and recreational business is developing at fast pace there, and Arabs traditionally have invested into this kind of business around the world. In Ukraine, there are many original technologies, e.g. those developed by Paton Welding Institute. These technologies are beginning to enter the world market. As a medical worker, I can see them used in health care sector. UAE have no access to such technologies yet. These are exactly the things that could be attractive for the Emirates. And it’s not about money because there are many people who are capable of financing a profitable project.

– By the way, Dubai is planning to build a space launch site.

– And in this case also, Ukraine and Russia are not number three or five, they are at the top. Yes, Ukrainians and Russians have to get prepared to this project and cooperate and combine their technologies. Nobody doubts the fact that these countries are leaders in this sphere.

In Ukraine and Russia, there are many young people who speak English, French of German and who graduated from the same universities as Arab youths. And again, we are coming back to the contacts issue – if people studied in Cambridge or Oxford together, they have something in common.

The fact that Ukraine owns innovative technologies (like the space technologies we just discussed) is a proven fact. In order to communicate successfully with the Arab world, it is necessary to cooperate with Arabs who graduated from European universities. I have no doubts that UAE and Ukraine are going to become active partners, since there is a huge potential in their relations.

– Can European Union help develop relationships between UAE and Ukraine?

– Latest international developments indicate that the USA began paying more attention to the EU. Consider the last conflicts in Lebanon: the European Union participated actively in the peacemaking activities and this was not a random occurrence. European Union has serious influence in the world and is capable of promoting its technologies.

If today Ukraine engages on a joint program with the EU (space program is a priority). European Union would be willing to support Ukrainian business and Ukrainian technologies. Ukraine just has to be more active and declare its presence. Therefore, from a global point of view, Europe could support Ukraine, also on the territory of UAE.

Interviewer — Sergey Tokarev