CBC Newsmagazine Stirs Controversy Over Galicia Division Constitutional

INSIDE:• The Ukrainianization of the Donbas — page 3. • The art scene in Kyiv, the literary scene in Lviv — page 10. • Focus on two Ukrainian drama troupes — page 11. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXIV HE No.KRAINIAN 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 1996 EEKLY$1.25/$2 in Ukraine T UConstitutional Committee approves draftW of Ukraine’s new constitution CBC newsmagazine by Marta Kolomayets Kyiv Press Bureau stirs controversy KYIV – Calling it a “historic event” in Ukrainian state-building, Deputy over Galicia Division Volodymyr Stretovych told reporters a by Andrij Wynnyckyj draft constitution had been approved by Toronto Press Bureau the Constitutional Committee on March TORONTO — Cardinal Myroslav 11 and would be submitted to the Parliament in the near future. Lubachivsky’s blessing of Ukrainian vet- Mr. Stretovych, chairman of the judi- erans of the Galicia Division at the 50th cial/legal reform subcommittee of the anniversary of its formation in the sum- Constitutional Committee and a member mer of 1993 is once again a focus of con- of the parliamentary faction Agrarians for troversy in the North American media. Reform, joined Parliament Chairman On March 5 and 10, the Canadian Oleksander Moroz at a press conference Broadcasting Corporation’s television on March 11 after 26 members of the 40- newsmagazine “The Fifth Estate” broad- member Constitutional Committee voted cast a segment titled “Disorder in the “to approve and submit for review by the Order,” in its usual Tuesday evening and Supreme Council the draft constitution of Sunday afternoon time slots. Ukraine and to take into account remarks Reporter Francine Pelletier focused on and proposals of the Constitutional Michael Steeler, a man who recently Committee.” Only 33 members of the resigned from the Sovereign Order of St. committee were present at the meeting; Stanislas, a Polish chivalric order that has Mr. Moroz abstained from voting. a presence in North America, because he Despite a thumbs-up sign from Deputy learned that Russian neo-fascist Vladimir Oleksander Yemets, a member of the Zhirinovsky was accepted as a member Constitutional Committee who walked out and had been appointed deputy grand prior of the seven-hour meeting exhausted and for the Russian Federation. exhilarated, most national democrats who Before getting to the question of Mr. attended the meeting, chaired by Mr. Efrem Lukatsky Zhirinovsky, however, the broadcast Moroz and President Leonid Kuchma, President Leonid Kuchma and Parliament Chairman Oleksander in a June 8, 1995, touched on matters Ukrainian. With a pho- agreed that the mood was turbulent and tograph of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic photo at the time a Constitutional Accord was signed by Ukraine’s executive and Church’s senior hierarch filling the screen, (Continued on page 17) legislative branches. Ms. Pelletier mentioned that Mr. Steeler, a member of the order since 1990 who had risen to the post of Canadian grand prior, became concerned that Cardinal American combines may be headed for Ukraine Lubachivsky “blessed a reunion of second by Yaro Bihun equipment will be delivered in 1997. potential. “They are the pioneers, and world war veterans, including veterans “This is extremely important for us, other American firms are now follow- from the Nazi SS Galicia division,” and WASHINGTON — If all goes well taking into account that while the low- ing in their footsteps,” he said. wrote to the Vatican’s secretary of state to in Congress, Ukrainian farmers may quality and ineffective combines cur- During President Kuchma’s recent express his concern. well be harvesting a good part of this rently in use in Ukraine lose up to 30 visit to the United States, a number of “What was a prince of the Catholic year’s crop on modern American com- percent of the harvest, the John Deere American agribusiness companies Church doing blessing former Nazis?” bines – and bringing in up to 30 percent combines – and I had the opportunity to showed great interest in Ukraine, Dr. Ms. Pelletier related, “That’s what the more than they would with the equip- sit in them and observe their technical Shcherbak said. “They are ready to grand prior of Canada, Michael Steeler, ment they normally use. capabilities – lose less than 1 percent of make large investments in Ukraine, wanted to know.” Eight days following Ukrainian the harvest,” he said. transferring new technology, know- In an interview setting, Mr. Steeler then President Leonid Kuchma’s talks with “This means that we can boost the how, pesticides, fertilizers, and the like. said, “And I think that the blessing of the Clinton administration officials in harvest by 25 to 28 percent simply by “This is very important for us,” he SS by Lubachivsky was to restore confi- Washington, the Export-Import Bank of using these modern, comfortable and added, “because improving Ukraine’s dence in the Nazi SS, and that they were to the United States on March 1 took a effective combines. And if we can get agricultural production is priority No. 1 be presented as knights, and therefore hon- preliminary step in support of a $187 them this year — and we believe that we of our reform program.” orable people. It’s Holocaust denial.” million sale of 1,049 John Deere com- can,” Ambassador Shcherbak said, “our Commenting on the Ex-Im Bank’s The “Disorder in the Order” of the seg- bine harvesters and other agricultural harvest will be so much the better for it.” decision, John Deere spokesman Robert ment’s title allegedly became manifest equipment to Ukraine. Combs said, “We are grateful that the when the order’s grand master, Count The Ex-Im Bank’s board of directors Dr. Shcherbak said it is a “mutually beneficial deal,” providing jobs in a num- bank has chosen this opportunity to take Juliusz Sokolnicki, asked Mr. Steeler to referred the transaction to Congress for ber of Midwestern states – Illinois, a crucial step in supporting the establish- desist in his “crusade” after initially hav- a 30-day review period, after which the Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, ment of a major U.S. presence in an ing been “very, very much in favor of my board will take final action. Missouri and Ohio – and creating new exciting, new and promising market.” questioning the pope about this.” “We’re very happy to hear this jobs and opportunities in Ukraine as well. Under the deal, John Deere would Mr. Steeler’s dissaffection was further news,” Ukraine’s ambassador to the sell the combines and related equip- According to the agreement, Ukraine exacerbated when he learned that the United States, Yuri Shcherbak said ment to Ukragroprombirzha of Kyiv. will create spare-parts centers for the openly racist Mr. Zhirinovsky was made upon hearing about the Ex-Im Bank Ex-Im Bank would provide a $171.3 John Deere combines, and there is talk a high-ranking officer of the order. In the action. million loan guarantee to Societe about possible joint production of these program, Count Sokolnicki and the U.S.- “We expect that the U.S. Congress Generale of New York, and Ukraine’s combines in Ukrainian factories, based St. Stanislas grand chancellor, will accept this agreement, and that 60 Ministry of Finance would guarantee Maj. Gen. Earl Morris, are seen issuing percent of these combines will take part according to the ambassador. the loan’s repayment. The loan would apologia for Mr. Zhirinovsky. in this year’s harvest in Ukraine,” Dr. He praised John Deere’s “wisdom be repaid in two tranches: the first in 10 Count Sokolnicki calls the Russian Shcherbak said. The agreement stipulates and foresight” in getting in early to that the remaining 40 percent of the study Ukraine’s agricultural needs and (Continued on page 19) (Continued on page 18) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 1996 No. 11 ANALYSIS: The key to reform NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS in Russia is found in Ukraine Fire damages Ukrainian TV, radio studios planes: the AN-70 military transport; by Taras Kuzio to be the most difficult, and President AN-70T civilian version; the medium- Yeltsin publicly complained at the KYIV — A fire destroyed three floors range passenger jet Tu-334 and the local President Leonid Kuchma visited the January CIS summit in Moscow that of Ukrainian State Television and U.S. on February 20-22 while President service AN-140. According to confiden- President Kuchma was not heeding his Radio’s main broadcasting facility on tial sources, the AN-140 will be mass- Bill Clinton will visit Kyiv in April. calls for tighter CIS integration into a March 10, international and Ukrainian Assuredly, high on the agenda of their produced in Iran. The production run is new confederation that would be natural- agencies reported. The cause of the blaze expected to bring tens of millions of dol- talks are Western assistance to Ukraine, ly dominated by Russia. remains undetermined. Management said the forthcoming Russian presidential lars to the Antonov Design Bureau and In contrast, Belarus and Kazakhstan the fire caused damage totaling millions Ukraine’s government. No official con- elections and Ukrainian security related have de facto become large Russian for- of dollars and destroyed the company’s to fears that President Boris Yeltsin will firmation of this is yet available, howev- ward military bases, and Alyaksandr main TV and radio studios. Broadcasts er. (Respublika) lose the elections. In contrast to neigh- Lukashenka, the eccentric president of resumed the next day from reserve stu- boring Ukraine and Poland though, Belarus, has even offered to re-establish dios. The government has set up a special Proposed Kaliningrad link worries Poles where Leonid Kravchuk and Lech nuclear missile bases in his country if committee to investigate the cause of the Walesa were replaced by moderates still NATO expands into Central Europe.

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