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Most popular Ukraine
Brussels appoints new envoy
Nov 5, 2008 at 21:43 | Yuliya PopovaThe European Commission (EC) appointed a new ambassador to Ukraine – Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira, 50, last month.
A native of Portugal, he hails from the country where Ukrainian migrants make up one of the largest ethnic minorities.
In fact, one of them works in his residence now, connecting the dots between his old and new home.
His new “home,” however, needs major renovation at a time of sham economic reforms and fudged politics.
“I found out about my appointment early this year. Back then, I knew it was a politically difficult region, but now it is even more so,” said Pinto Teixeira.
Welcoming the ambassador in mid-October, President Victor Yushchenko reassured him that Ukraine’s course toward the European Union and NATO military alliance is strategic and remains unchanged. The ambassador noted that visa-free travel talks and a free trade zone will be high on the agenda.
“The European Union is Ukraine’s largest trading partner and its largest donor,” stressed Pinto Teixeira. However, despite “considerable progress, [Ukraine is in] a period of great challenges which Ukrainians will have to overcome to ensure a future with the EU,” he added.
The envoy’s multi-faceted career, which started in the Portuguese Navy, is likely to smooth his way into rumbling Ukraine.
Prior to this posting, he was the Ambassador to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Ambassador to Mozambique.
In charge of humanitarian aid at the EC, he worked in the volatile Caucusus region in the mid-90’s including Chechnya, Ingushetia and Georgia.
Having joined the Commission 30 years ago, he first put Swaziland and Angola on his map.
Pinto Teixeira speaks ten languages and is determined to pick up Russian. His knowledge of Bulgarian, Serbian and Croatian should help him achieve his goal. “My Russian teacher is running after me trying to make me learn,” he quipped, referring to his busy schedule.
The head of the mission has an appointment scheduled with opposition leader Victor Yanukovych this week. With Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, it may take a little longer. “That’s a difficult one,” he said smiling knowingly.