Our Ukraine Now in Opposition
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INSIDE:• Groundbreaking for Victims of Communism Memorial— page 3. • Two new books by Taras Hunczak launched in NYC — page 4. • Miss Soyuzivka 2007; Ukrainian folk dance camp — centerfold. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIV HE KRAINIANNo. 41 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2006 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine LvivT marks its 750thU anniversary Our UkraiWne now in opposition by Zenon Zawada into European defense structures. with extravagance, pomp and fun Kyiv Press Bureau The Party of the Regions also is fail- ing to support the development of the by Zenon Zawada At the official opening ceremony and KYIV – The Our Ukraine bloc Ukrainian language and is pursuing fed- Kyiv Press Bureau concert at the Franko Opera House on announced on October 4 it will not join eralist policies, the president said. September 29, President Yushchenko the coalition government led by the Party LVIV – Laser lights illuminated the At the October 5 press conference, the honored Lviv and its history with heart- of the Regions, despite signing the majestic Franko Opera House and the Ukrainian president even appeared sur- felt words. Universal of National Unity with the Lviv skyline by night. prised that the Party of the Regions “In the name of Ukraine, I bow my coalition’s three factions. By day, 25 Plast scouts set a Ukrainian would violate certain tenets of the head before all Lvivians who gave their “The faction will be in systematic National Unity Declaration. record by cramming into a Ukrainian- lives and died for our nation’s independ- made Zaporozhets car, an impressive feat opposition in Parliament against the cur- “I turn to my colleagues who signed ence – from the Sich Riflemen and the rent government,” said Roman this document: Why aren’t these points for anyone who has ridden in the tiny Ukrainian Galician Army to Ukrainian vehicle. Bezsmertnyi, the Political Council chair being executed?” he asked rhetorically. Insurgent Army soldiers,” the president of the Our Ukraine bloc. As for the main attraction, a barely said. (Continued on page 11) clad Ruslana scorched an outdoor stage “Through our actions, we will try Mr. Yushchenko also honored the above everything to carry out the poli- with her wild dancing. Ukrainian Catholic Church, “which With such extravagance and fun, more cies defined and stated in the universal,” forms one of the most important national he added. than 1 million estimated Lviv residents support to our people.” and visitors on September 30-October 1 The chief reasons the coalition discus- Senate authorizes The Ukrainian president also recog- sions failed, he said, is that the coalition celebrated the 750th anniversary of the nized the critical contributions of Lviv city known as the gateway to Europe. government is violating the universal’s residents to the Ukrainian independence principles and that the Party of the Holodomor memorial Among those visiting were Ukrainian by Serhiy Zhykharev movement of 1991, as well as the Regions is behaving aggressively toward President Viktor Yushchenko, Polish “achievement of social freedom in Our Ukraine politicians. Ukrainian National Information Service President Lech Kaczynski and 2004.” Specifically, Ukrainian President Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, Mr. Yushchenko said Lviv sets the WASHINGTON – On Friday, Viktor Yushchenko accused the Party of as well as such Ukrainian celebrities as example for his notion of a distinct and September 29, the U.S. Senate passed by th Regions of delaying Ukraine’s entry boxer Vitalii Klitschko, strongman consolidated national character. The city unanimous consent HR 562, a resolution Vasyl Virastiuk and actor Bohdan lies on Ukraine’s road to Europe and is into the World Trade Organization authorizing the government of Ukraine Stupka. Also present were U.S. called upon to remain Ukraine’s motiva- (WTO) beyond this year, neglecting to to construct a monument in Washington Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor tor in that direction, he said. begin discussions on creating free trade to the victims of the Ukrainian Famine- and Russian Ambassador Viktor zones with the European Union and fail- Genocide of 1932-1933. Led by the Chernomyrdin. (Continued on page 12) ing to proceed with integration efforts Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and its Washington, office, the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS), the The political divorce of Viktor and Yulia Ukrainian American community promot- by Zenon Zawada that shook the world. rift, the people involved and their motiva- ed this issue in the U.S. Congress for Kyiv Press Bureau One year ago, Ukrainian President tions continue to elude even the most well- several years. Viktor Yushchenko announced his deci- connected political insiders and observers. A long-time champion of the PART I sion to fire the woman who had helped Was Mr. Yushchenko intimidated by Ukrainian American community, a strong The following is the first article in a him lead Ukrainians through the Orange Ms. Tymoshenko’s rising popularity, or supporter of Ukraine’s democratic devel- two-part series examining the political Revolution. was she truly plotting a careful scheme opment and a co-chair of the relationship between Viktor Yushchenko Until that point, Yulia Tymoshenko to overtake him? Congressional Ukrainian Caucus (CUC), and Yulia Tymoshenko, which came to an was Mr. Yushchenko’s loyal supporter Was Mr. Yushchenko acting on behalf of Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.) introduced end one year ago. and partner for more than five years, ever a corrupt entourage that wanted to stop Ms. HR 562 in the House of Representatives since serving as his vice prime minister. Tymoshenko from meddling in their affairs? on February 2, 2005. KYIV – It was the political divorce Discord surfaced between them soon Or was she advancing her own busi- UNIS closely monitored the progress after the Orange ness interests, as the president alleged of the bill and advocated its passage to Revolutionaries afterwards? other Members of Congress. Thirty-six came to power, but A broad picture can be drawn from members of the House sponsored the res- few knew it was consulting political experts and analyz- olution. (A complete list of co-sponsors serious enough to ing the public statements made by those is available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi- warrant so drastic a involved. bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR00562:@@@P.) split. The real reasons for the partnership’s col- On February 17, 2005, HR 562 was President Yush- lapse, however, may forever remain elusive referred to the Subcommittee on chenko’s dismissal – even for the main players themselves. National Parks of the House Resources Committee and on June 9, 2005, the sub- of Prime Minister Ideal complements Tymoshenko and her committee held a hearing, at which the Cabinet of Ministers Mr. Yushchenko’s political partnership UCCA testified in favor of this legisla- initiated a downward with Ms. Tymoshenko began in late 1999, tion along with Rep. Levin. spiral of disillusion- when former Ukrainian President Leonid Rep. Levin’s testimony found a lot of support among the subcommittee’s mem- ment for the hun- Kuchma had nominated the National Bank bers; many of whom felt that the magni- dreds of thousands of Ukraine chairman as prime minister. Various reasons are believed to have tude, significance and “inhumane mal- of Ukrainians who motivated Mr. Kuchma to select Mr. ice” of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide braved freezing Yushchenko. should be memorialized. weather and placed Some political observers believe Mr. UCCA President Michael Sawkiw Jr. their lives and Kuchma perceived Mr. Yushchenko as a stated at the hearing: “The sheer magni- careers at risk for the AP/Sergei Chuzavkov benign, detached banker who wouldn’t pose tude, scope and significance of this Orange Revolution. much of a threat to his den of corruption. human calamity merits historians to sur- April 27, 2005: President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime A year later, the Minister Yulia Tymoshenko at a press conference in Kyiv. factors causing the (Continued on page 8) (Continued on page 10) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2006 No. 41 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Yanukovych and allies assert Our Ukraine still undecided this figure. Ukraine now pays $95 per 1,000 cubic meters of an imported Russian- authority over foreign policy KYIV – Roman Bezsmertnyi, head of Turkmen gas mix. (RFE/RL Newsline) the pro-Yushchenko Our Ukraine People’s by Vladimir Socor Rada similarly expressing support for Union (OUPU), told journalists on October … hopes to get gas cheaper than neighbors Eurasia Daily Monitor Mr. Yanukovych’s renunciation of a 3 that his party would decide on October 4 KYIV – Prime Minister Viktor MAP. whether to enter into a ruling coalition with Operating through coalition mecha- Yanukovych said at a meeting of the The Verkhovna Rada’s chairman, the Party of the Regions, the Socialist Party nisms that President Viktor Yushchenko Oleksander Moroz, had prefaced the res- Cabinet of Ministers in Kyiv on September has helped create, the Party of the Regions and the Communist Party or switch to the 28 that Ukraine will be receiving gas from olution by stating that Prime Minister opposition, Interfax-Ukraine reported. “If is de facto appropriating the president’s Yanukovych’s stance at NATO fully con- Russia until 2010 at a price lower than that formal authority to shape foreign policy. we become an opposition party we'll ask all charged on other neighboring countries, formed to the terms of the Universal of of our ministers to quit the government and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s National Unity. Approved by 242 Interfax-Ukraine reported. “The price of September 13-14 announcements in urge the president to recall his ministers,” gas will be lower than that asked of our deputies out of 321 registered for the ses- Mr.