INSIDE:• Ottawa Chair of Ukrainian Studies receives major donation — page 4. • Ukraine’s U.N. envoy speaks on Holocaust, Holodomor — page 6. • Lviv plays host to first annual Viennese ball — page 15. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIII HE No.KRAINIAN 46 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2005 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine New Tprocurator inherits Uunresolved high-profile cases Latest pollsW show Yushchenko bloc slipping to third in public support by Zenon Zawada part ways with Ms. Tymoshenko, their Kyiv Press Bureau united Our Ukraine bloc was the domi- nant political force in Ukrainian politics. KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko’s What has emerged in Ukraine’s cur- split with former Orange Revolution ally rent political landscape is that three par- Yulia Tymoshenko has not only plundered ties each dominate a region, said his party’s potential but may also pave the Volodymyr Polokhalo, the center’s aca- way for Viktor Yanukovych to become demic director and editor of the website Ukraine’s next prime minister, according Politychna Dumka, formerly a magazine. to a poll released on October 31. The Party of Regions still enjoys Of 2,400 Ukrainians surveyed in late immense popularity in the eastern and October, 20.7 percent would vote for the southern oblasts, the Yulia Tymoshenko Party of the Regions and 17.7 percent Bloc has emerged as the favorite in would vote for the Yulia Tymoshenko Ukraine’s central oblasts, and the Our Bloc, according to a poll conducted by Ukraine People’s Union party commands Kyiv’s Socio-Vymir Center for western Ukraine. Sociological and Political Research. As a result, Ukraine lacks a single Mr. Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine national party, Mr. Polokhalo said. People’s Union finished in third place, “These regional parties can’t attempt AP/Efrem Lukatsky with 17.2 percent support. to monopolize the whole political arena,” President Viktor Yushchenko greets the newly appointed procurator general of The party or bloc winning the most he said. “Ukraine has sentenced itself to Ukraine, Oleksander Medvedko (right). seats will have the most influence select- the impossibility of returning to (former ing Ukraine’s next prime minister, whose President Leonid) Kuchma’s authoritari- by Yana Sedova The new procurator general inherits ratification will need a majority vote in anism. There is no single force that could Kyiv Press Bureau thousands of untried criminal cases and an the Verkhovna Rada. become a political oligarch, as what hap- office that had been severely criticized for “We have a situation where pened in Belarus or Russia.” KYIV – Oleksander Medvedko was its inactivity during the last 10 months. Tymoshenko and Yanukovych have the Instead, the Party of the Regions has promoted from a deputy prosecutor’s “The Procurator General’s Office better chance to become Ukraine’s next largely monopolized eastern oblasts such position to become Ukraine’s new procu- failed to fulfill its duties, including inves- prime minister,” said Dr. Serhii Taran, as Donetsk and Kharkiv, where it rator general three weeks after President tigation of many key criminal cases that the center’s chair, who earned his doctor- received 51.5 percent support, according Viktor Yushchenko sacked his predeces- had to confirm Ukraine as a lawful state,” ate at Duke University. “Against the to the poll. sor, Sviatoslav Piskun. Mr. Yushchenko said on November 8 dur- background of Ukraine’s ‘orangization,’ Therefore, Mr. Yushchenko is largely The Verkhovna Rada approved the ing his introduction of Mr. Medvedko as it would be very interesting to see competing with Ms. Tymoshenko, Mr. president’s nominee with 303 deputies Yanukovych become prime minister.” voting for Mr. Medvedko on November 3. (Continued on page 12) Before Mr. Yushchenko’s decision to (Continued on page 3) Paper concedes inaccuracy Europeanby CourtAndrew Nynka rules againstGongadze Ukraine said, according in Gongadze to the Committee tocase Protect Journalists. She continues to maintain that Ukrainian PARSIPPANY, N.J. – In a case brought by the wife of authorities have deliberately dragged their feet on the of referring to all people slain Internet journalist Heorhii Gongadze, the European investigation and have no interest in seeing it resolved. Court of Human Rights ruled against Ukraine on “In truth, I seriously doubt that this investigation will be of formerOntario USSR Press asCouncil ‘Russians’ November 8, finding that the government did not protect completed,” Ms. Gongadze said, referring to the investiga- her husband and failed to properly investigate his tion by Ukrainian authorities into her husband’s murder. TORONTO – The Globe and Mail, responding abduction and murder. The European court, based in Strasbourg, France, has to a complaint before the Ontario Press Council, The court said Ukrainian authorities had failed to pro- the authority to review the actions of domestic courts, has conceded that referring to the people of the for- tect Mr. Gongadze prior to his murder in September issue findings and recommendations, and levy monetary mer Soviet Union simply as Russians is an inaccu- 2000, and that there has been an “inadequate investiga- sanctions. Ukraine, as a member of the Council of racy. tion into Mr. Gongadze’s death.” Europe, could face expulsion if it chooses not to comply Myroslaw Prytulak of Windsor, Ontario, com- The court awarded Myroslava Gongadze, the journal- with the court’s ruling, though there is no formal way to plained that a Moscow story published on May 10 ist’s widow, 100,000 euros ($117,810 U.S.) and said she force countries to comply with the court’s decisions. erred in saying 27 million or 28 million Russians had been treated in an inhumane or degrading manner In the Gongadze case, the court looked at whether died during the second world war. He said he was and that her right to have the murder case resolved had there had been violations of the European Convention of “unable to unravel the motives behind the Globe’s been violated. Human Rights; it did not delve into an investigation of decision to airbrush the enormous losses by other Ms. Gongadze told The Ukrainian Weekly she did not the Gongadze murder. East European countries, especially since their loss- ask the court for compensation, though the court award- The European Court of Human Rights “does not rule es were much greater than those of Russia.” ed her both pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages. on an investigation of criminality; it is not a criminal Mr. Prytulak maintained that Russia’s losses Ms. Gongadze said she did not pursue the case with court,” Ms. Gongadze explained. “The Ukrainian inves- were 5.8 million, including 1.8 million military and the aim of securing compensation. In fact, President tigation must now review the courts findings” and come 4 million civilians, and that, by way of comparison, Viktor Yushchenko’s administration previously offered to its own conclusion, she said. Ukraine’s losses were 8 million, including 2.5 mil- lion military and 5.5 million civilians. her a settlement of 100,000 euros in exchange for her The court’s ruling has refocused attention on the The highest estimate of Soviet (not just Russian) withdrawing her claim, but Ms. Gongadze declined, Gongadze case, which has languished off and on for losses that he found was on the website of the saying she hoped a court ruling would set a precedent in over five years. The presidential administrations of Guinness World Records, which said “The Soviet protecting Ukrainian citizens. Leonid Kuchma and Mr. Yushchenko both pledged a Union lost an estimate 26.6 million of its citizens.” “By filing this lawsuit, I wanted to urge Ukrainian full investigation into the Gongadze killing, though authorities to fully investigate my husband’s murder and (Continued on page 12) punish organizers and perpetrators of this crime,” Ms. (Continued on page 17) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2005 No. 46 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Yekhuranov refers to oligarchs NEWSBRIEFS Market economy status for Ukraine? designed to be safely used has almost expired. The Moscow-based newspaper as Ukraine’s ‘national bourgeoisie’ LONDON – The Financial Times on Komsomolskaya Pravda charged last November 8 quoted a European month that Kyiv uses abandoned mines in by Taras Kuzio Socialist Party member Valentyna Commission document as saying that Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts to store spent Eurasia Daily Monitor Semeniuk, resigned to protest the re-sale. Brussels has decided to grant Ukraine nuclear fuel and chemicals, thus reportedly Throughout 2005 the Orange market-economy status by the end of this threatening the environmental security of Once reviled by reformers, Ukraine’s Revolution coalition has been sharply year or early next year. The move, sought six Russian regions. (RFE/RL Newsline) wealthy business oligarchs are now being divided over the extent of Ukraine’s re- by Kyiv as one of its main political described as a “national bourgeoisie” by privatization drive. As prime minister, objectives this year, would reduce the UOC-KP head calls for reconciliation top government officials. Ms. Tymoshenko at one stage called for EU’s scope for imposing anti-dumping After much controversy and debate, 3,000 re-privatizations. President Viktor duties on Ukrainian imports. Ukrainian KYIV – “Ukrainians, all citizens of on October 24, Ukraine’s largest steel Yushchenko, and his new prime minister, President Viktor Yushchenko said last Ukraine, should be looking for a way to mutual understanding and reconciliation,” mill, Kryvorizhstal was re-privatized in Yurii Yekhanurov, support a minimum week that Ukraine’s losses in trade said Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian proceedings that were transparent and number of re-privatizations. because of anti-dumping investigations Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate widely praised. The Ukrainian media The Financial Times (October 26) amount to some $8 billion annually.