2nd ECU CONGRESS CONCLUDED – MAIN DECISIONS

2nd ECU Congress took place in Creta Maris Conference Center, Hersonissos, Crete/Greece, from 2nd-4th November.

The ECU Congress has started with Commissions’ meetings followed by the ECU Board meeting where all the necessary preparations for the ECU General Assembly were made. The first on the schedule on 2nd of November was Events Commission, chaired by the President of the Commission Mr. Gunnar Bjornsson and Secretary of the Commission Mr. Sotiris Logothetis.

On the 3rd of November, ECU Educational Commission held a meeting with attendance of around 20 representatives of the European chess federations. The Chairman of the Educational Commission, Mr. Jasper Hall, opened the meeting and after a brief introduction showed the presentation regarding what has been done so far and the the new ideas and projects Educational Commission is working on.

On the same day, Arbiters Council held the session, chaired by the President of the Council Mr. Ashot Vardapetyan and Secretary of the Council Mr. Tomasz Delega.

The ECU Board, chaired by the ECU President Zurab Azmaiparashvili and ECU Secretary General Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, discussed with members of the Board about several matters of big importance, such as: the budget for the year 2018, changes in Commissions, various proposals for the ECU Annual General Assembly.

ECU Board main information and decisions:.

• The ECU Board approved the budget for the year 2018, which focuses mostly on development projects.
• ECU will support the Reykjavik Open 2018-Ficher Memorial and will organize together with the Icelandic Federation the 1st European Fischer-Random Championship. The festivities are dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Bobby Fischer.
• ECU Board approved the proposal from the International School Chess Union and Montenegro Chess Federation for the organization of the European School Chess Cup for three years as a test event.
• ECU Board approved changes in the ECU Commissions as also the 5-year plan for the organization of the School Chess Teachers Training Courses.
• The ECU Board decided to file a criminal complaint in Slovenia for money laundering and other criminal offences connecting with the opening and use of the Bank account belonging to the company ECU Delaware LCC and alleged ECU activities and invoices.

ECU Board awarded the following championships:

• European Senior Team Championship 2019 awarded to the city of Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia.
• European Senior Championship 2019 awarded to Halkidiki, Greece
• European Rapid and Blitz Championships 2019 awarded to Tallinn, Estonia
• European Amateur Championship 2019 awarded to Halkidiki, Greece
• European Individual Championship 2019, the option granted to the Israeli Chess Federation.
• European Women’s Rapid and Blitz Championship 2019, the option granted to the Monaco Chess Federation.

General Assembly of the European Chess Union took place on 4th of November. The Assembly was opened with presentation of the ECU anthem composed by Georgian composer/conductor, UNICEF’s National Ambassador in Georgia, Nikoloz Rachveli.

After the presentation of the new composed ECU anthem, the President of the ECU Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili and Secretary General of the ECU Mr. Theodoros Tzorbatsoglou reported about the activities and the Assembly continued with the rest agenda.

ECU General Assembly main information and decisions:

• The new ECU composed anthem was presented and welcomed by the ECU GA
• The ECU medal of honor awarded to the former (1998-2010) President of ECU, Mr. Boris Kutin.
• The ECU Board reports and accounts for 2016 were unanimously approved as also the budget for the year 2018.
• The proposals of the ECU Board for changes on the Articles 13, 14, 27, 28, 33, 34 and 35 of the ECU Memorandum and Articles of Association were approved by the General Assembly with few amendments and wording corrections.
• The new ECU Tournament regulations valid from 1^st January 2018 were approved.
• The proposal of the ECU Board to establish a minimum of 25% of male or female arbiters in each European Chess Championship, complying and with the anticheating regulations was approved by the majority of the General Assembly.
• The ECU General Assembly seconded the proposal of ECU President voted unanimously to appoint Mr. Erald Dervishi (ALB) as a representative of Europe for the FIDE Electoral Committee 2018.

ECU General Assembly awarded the following championships:

• European Club Cup & European Club cup for Women 2019 awarded to Budva, Montenegro.
• European Youth Team Championship 2019 awarded to Pardubice, Czech Republic.
• European School Championship 2019 awarded to Mamaia, Romania.
• European Youth Rapid and Blitz Championships 2019 awarded to Tallinn, Estonia.
• European Women’s Championship 2019 and European Youth Chess Championship 2020 awarded to Antalya, Turkey.