The Ukrainian Weekly 2013, No.10

www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: l Ukrainian dancemaster Chester Kuc dies – page 4 l Workshop on Holodomor held in Yonkers – page 7 l UKELODEON: activities in CT and NJ – pages 18-19 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXI No. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2013 $1/$2 in Ukraine Canadian PM Tymoshenko’s lawyer stripped establishes Office of his national deputy’s mandate of Religious Freedom by Zenon Zawada Special to The Ukrainian Weekly New ambassador has ties KYIV – With one hand, Ukrainian to Ukrainian Catholic Church President Viktor Yanykovych was shaking hands with European Union (EU) leaders in Brussels two weeks ago, pledging to commit to rule of law and equality before the law. With the other hand, he was direct- ing his administration, which has allegedly manipulated the mass media and arranged for national dep- uties to be kicked out of Parliament in recent weeks. These campaigns have upset European Union leaders, who have intensified their warnings that Frank Gunn/Canadian Press Ukraine’s Euro-integration efforts Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada with could be undermined. Ambassador Dr. Andrew Bennett of the Office of The incident drawing the most www.tymoshenko.ua Religious Freedom. attention is the March 6 court ruling Serhiy Vlasenko, the lead defense attorney for imprisoned opposition leader that stripped the parliamentary man- Yulia Tymoshenko, had his national deputy’s mandate removed by a Kyiv OTTAWA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper on date of National Deputy Serhiy February 19 announced the establishment of the court on March 6. Mr. Vlasenko is seen above at the European Court of Vlasenko, 46, the defense attorney for Human Rights with the opposition leader’s daughter, Eugenia Tymoshenko, Office of Religious Freedom within the Department of imprisoned opposition leader Yulia on August 28, 2012. Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The office Tymoshenko. With his legal immunity will be dedicated to promoting freedom of religion or gone, he predicted he could be prose- to end politically motivated persecu- declared their “unprecedently harsh” belief around the world. cuted and imprisoned. tions of opposition leaders and to abide opposition to Mr. Vlasenko’s persecu- He also announced the appointment of Dr. Andrew “Most likely, I’ll be arrested in three by their international commitments to tion, as reported by the newspaper Bennett, who has ties to the Ukrainian Catholic weeks,” he told reporters in late the rule of law and democracy.” Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Church, as ambassador to the office. Faced with such criticism, President January, stating that the potential On March 4, the German Foreign “Around the world, violations of religious freedom criminal charges carry three- to sev- Yanukovych and state officials have Affairs Ministry invited Ukraine’s are widespread and they are increasing,” said the en-year prison terms. “These are real- repeatedly fallen back on the defense prime minister. “Dr Bennett is a man of principle and istic things that will occur in the near- Ambassador to Germany Pavlo Klimkin deep convictions and he will encourage the protec- est future.” for talks, during which its diplomats (Continued on page 5) tion of religious minorities around the world so all The Kyiv Higher Administrative can practice their faith without fear of violence and Court ruled that Mr. Vlasenko violated repression.” the law in moonlighting as Ms. The new ambassador is also a religious leader in Tymoshenko’s defense attorney while U.S. is “deeply concerned” his capacity as subdeacon and cantor with both the at the same time serving as a national Holy Cross Eastern Catholic Chaplaincy and St. John deputy in Parliament. about anti-opposition moves the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine, both in Ottawa, As his defense, Mr. Vlasenko cited a and as vice-president and chairman of the legal technicality, stating that he’s Below is the text of the statement to the press released on March 5 in Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute been defending Ms. Tymoshenko as a Washington by Acting Deputy Spokesperson Patrick Ventrell of the Office of Foundation. civic defender, not as an attorney, the Spokesperson, U.S. Department of State. According to the biography released by the which anyone can do. Western gov- Canadian government, Dr. Bennett is a public servant ernments indicated that they’re more The United States is deeply concerned by recent steps taken in Ukraine and academic with an extensive educational back- concerned about the bigger picture of to remove members of Parliament from the Rada. We note with particular ground in history, political science and religious stud- political persecution in Ukraine rath- concern efforts to deprive Serhiy Vlasenko, a member of Parliament and ies. He holds a B.A. in history from Dalhousie er than legal nuances. defense counsel for former Prime Minister [Yulia] Tymoshenko, of his seat University, an M.A. in history from McGill University, “Vlasenko’s mandate was removed in Parliament, his corresponding immunity from prosecution and his right and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of disregarding the calls of the interna- to travel outside Ukraine. These actions appear to be politically motivated Edinburgh. He is in the process of completing a part- tional community,” tweeted Jacek due to his connection with Mrs. Tymoshenko. time degree in theology in Eastern Christian Studies Protasiewicz, vice-president of the We also note with concern the High Administrative Court’s extra-judi- at the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of European Parliament. “I’m afraid that cial decision last month to annul the mandates of independent Members of Eastern Christian Studies at St. Paul University in this is one more step backwards from Parliament Pavlo Baloha and Oleksander Dombrovsky. These actions cre- Ottawa. signing the [Ukraine-EU] Association ate an atmosphere that inhibits political competition and freedom of He has worked for the Privy Council Office, Export Agreement.” expression. Development Canada and Natural Resources Canada The court rulings “appear to be The United States urges Ukrainian authorities to honor the will of in a wide variety of analytical, research and corporate politically motivated” owing to Mr. Ukrainian voters as expressed in the October 2012 parliamentary elec- roles. He has also held roles as professor and dean at Vlasenko’s connection with Ms. tions. We call on the Ukrainian authorities to end politically motivated Augustine College in Ottawa, as a scholar expert on Tymoshenko, said the U.S. State prosecutions of opposition leaders and to abide by their international Department in a March 5 statement. commitments to the rule of law and democracy. (Continued on page 7) “We call on the Ukrainian authorities 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2013 No. 10 Radio Liberty celebrates 60 years of promoting principles of democracy Patriarch honors Cardinal Husar States, enjoyed special popularity and the WASHINGTON – “Listen! Listen! Today, casting from overseas, it was our station. respect of young people, Plast Ukrainian LVIV – The head of the Ukrainian Greek- Scouting Organization members and intel- a new radio station, Liberation, begins its And as a result of Radio Liberty, we were Catholic Church (UGCC), Patriarch broadcasts.” able to speak to our fellow citizens,” Ms. lectuals. “He is an embodiment of the faith Sviatoslav Shevchuk, expressed his high which he preaches. He loves people and his Those words, spoken by broadcaster Alekseyeva said. “I’m convinced that the appreciation for the role of Cardinal Sergei Dubrovsky on March 1, 1953, were rapid informing of an entire huge country word is very just and wise. People feel that,” Lubomyr Husar in the spiritual life of said writer Yevhen Sverstiuk in his com- the first to be transmitted by Radio that there existed a human rights move- Ukrainian Christianity in a commentary to Liberty, a new voice with a mission to pro- ment was possible because of the exis- ment about the major archbishop emeritus. ICTV on the cardinal’s 80th birthday. “His (Religious Information Service of Ukraine) mote “the principles of democracy” to tence of Radio Liberty.” Beatitude Lubomyr is a phenomenon in the Russian listeners behind the Iron Curtain. Dignitaries including Karel spiritual life of the Ukrainian Christianity. Yanukovych wants EU agreements fulfilled Sixty years later, friends of Radio Schwarzenberg, deputy prime minister We will be able to understand that phenom- Liberty (Radio Svoboda, as it is known in and minister of foreign affairs of the Czech enon only with time. Obviously, a spiritual KYIV – Ukrainian President Viktor Russia) gathered in Washington, Prague Republic, home to RFE/RL’s headquarters, phenomenon has more invisible aspects Yanukovych has demanded that the gov- and Moscow to celebrate its legacy and praised the work of Radio Liberty. In a let- than visible ones. The return of the head of ernment fulfill all of the agreements need- future as one of the most respected sourc- ter celebrating its anniversary, Mr. UGCC to Kyiv is perhaps one of the most ed for the signing of the Association es of independent journalism throughout Schwarzenberg wrote, “Always a reliable impressive events of this time. His Beatitude Agreement with the EU, which were the Russian Federation and beyond. provider of unbiased, uncensored and bal- Lubomyr really prayed hard for it and suf- achieved with EU representatives. “[Radio Liberty is] journalism which is anced news... Radio Liberty has been fered for it, and the Lord helped him to real- Speaking at an enlarged Cabinet of guided by an independent, skeptical, con- everything that totalitarian media are not.” ize that. And we actually returned to our Ministers meeting on February 27, he said: stant iterative search for factual reality, In Moscow, Russian Service Director capital from where we were driven away “I’m demanding that the government verifiable facts, context and consideration Masha Gessen met with U.S.

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