Communique of the ECU General Assembly and Elections 2022

The ECU General Assembly and Board elections 2022 took place at the Porto Palace hotel in Thessaloniki on the 23rd of July 2022 with the participation of 50 European National Chess federations.  ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili, FIDE President Mr. Arkady Dvorkovich, President of Greek Chess Federation Mr. Stathis Efstathopoulos, and Greek Chess Federation Vice President Mr. Georgios Makropoulos welcomed the delegates in Thessaloniki. 

Elections

Τhe ticket of Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili was elected with 44 votes in favor, 2 blank and 3 invalid ballots in a total of 49 votes cast:

ECU President: Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili (GEO)
Deputy President: Mrs. Dana Reizniece-Ozola (LAT)
Vice President: Mr. Gunnar Bjornsson (ISL)
Vice President: Mr. Malcolm Pein (ENG)
Secretary General: Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou (GRE)
Treasurer: Mr. Ion-Serban Dobronauteanu (ROU)

Followed the individual elections for the three (3) ECU Vice Presidents
49 federations voted, each candidate needs 50% + 1 vote to be elected:

Mr. Alojzije Jankovic, (CRO) elected on the 1st round with 36 votes.
Ms. Eva Repkova (SVK) elected on the 1st round with 26 votes.
Mr. Jean Michel Rapaire (MNC) elected on the 3rd round with 30 votes. 
The ECU General Assembly re-elected Mr. Peter Wyss (SUI) as the ECU Auditor.

ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili proposed the appointment of Mr. Vanja Draskovic (MNE) and Mr. Johann Poecksteiner (AUT) as ECU Honorary Vice Presidents without voting rights. The proposal was approved by the ECU General Assembly.

European Championships-Tournaments

The following competitions were awarded to the respective venues:

  • European Amateur Chess Championship 2024 to Zagreb, Croatia (sole bid).
  • European Youth Team Chess Championship 2024 to Thessaloniki, Greece (sole bid).
  • European Women’s Chess Championship 2024 and European Youth Chess Championships 2026 (combined bid) to Rhodes, Greece (sole bid).
  • European Individual Chess Championship 2023 and European Chess Club Cup and Women’s Club Cup 2024 to Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia.
  • European Senior Team Chess Championship 2024 to Terme Catez, Slovenia.
  • European Senior Chess Championship 2024 to Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy.
  • European Senior Chess Championship 2025 to Porec, Croatia.
  • European School Chess Championship 2024 to Limerick, Ireland, through a secret ballot
    Irish bid received 28 out of 49 votes in favor.

Main information and decisions

  • The closing of the year 2021 was unanimously approved and the Board was discharged for the year 2021.
  • The budget for the year 2023 was approved.
  • Secretary of ECU Arbiters Council Mr. Geert Bailleul presented an overview of the activities of the Arbiters’ Council in the year 2022.
    ECU General Assembly authorized the new elected ECU Board authorized to discuss and make the final decision the proposal for an increase to Arbiters’ stipends.
  • Chairman of ECU EDU Commission Mr. Jesper Bergmark Hall presented the report on the Educational Commission’s activities in 2022 and the next steps and targets of the Commission.
  • Chairman of ECU Women’s Chess Commission Mr. Jean Michel Rapaire presented the projects during the year 2022, the year of Women in Chess.
  • Secretary of ECU Events Commission Mr. Paris Klerides presented the inspection reports for the European Chess Championships 2024.

Belarus Delegates addressed the General Assembly requesting the lift of the sanctions decided by the ECU Board on 3rd March 2022 for Russian and Belarus Chess Federations.

After discussion the ECU General Assembly delegates voted on the item 9.1 of the agenda and decided that the sanctions which imposed by the ECU Board decisions on 3rd March 2022 to Russian and Belarus Chess federations shall remain in force and shall not be amended or lifted.

37 federations voted in favor of ECU Board decisions and that the sanctions imposed against Russian and Belarus Chess federations shall remain in force and not be lifted.
2 federations voted against the ECU Board decisions and that the sanctions imposed against Russian and Belarus Chess federations shall be lifted.  
5 federations abstain
6 federations were not present.

The letter of the Chess Federation of Russia informing ECU that they applied to transfer to the Asian Chess Federation and then they will withdraw from European Chess Union was discussed in ECU General Assembly.

The ECU Board noted that there is an unclear procedure to change Continent and FIDE shall clarify its regulations before any application be examined. A letter to FIDE and FIDE constitutional commission will be drafted and sent in due time asking for clarifications about FIDE Charter and membership obligations as also to be developed regulations on federations transfers from one Continent to another since the FIDE Charter does not foresee such action.  

The General Assembly unanimously authorized the ECU Board to make all necessary steps to protect the interests of European Chess Union respecting ECU and FIDE Statutes.

Photo Gallery