www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • “Song of Ukraine” heard in California — page 12. • Jack Palance remembered in New York — page 13. • “Holodomor Through the Eyes of Ukrainian Artists” — page 17. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXV No. 49 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2007 $1/$2 in Ukraine At emergency meeting, Democratic coalition succeeds in electing Yatsenyuk as Rada chair by Zenon Zawada Ukraine’s elite decries Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – The newly formed Democratic sorry state of cultural life Forces Coalition on December 4 elected Arseniy Yatsenyuk as the Verkhovna by Zenon Zawada Rada’s new chairman. The 33-year-old is Kyiv Press Bureau known as an independent politician widely KYIV – A tour guide in Ukraine’s expected to neutralize the polarized capital, Tetiana Nechai comes across Parliament and establish compromise daily evidence of Ukraine’s historical between the pro-Western and Russian-ori- inheritance under threat. ented forces. She discovered that an underground Although elected as part of the pro- gym built next to the 11th century St. presidential Our Ukraine – People’s Self- Sophia Cathedral – the center of Defense bloc, Mr. Yatsenyuk is a pragmat- Ukrainian Orthodoxy, actually extends ic centrist with considerable experience in underneath its walls. working with Ukraine’s Russian-oriented “And every day 200 cars safely drive politicians. in and out of an underground garage “President Yushchenko suggested under the walls of St. Sophia Cathedral,” Yatsenyuk himself, knowing he is not she said, addressing what she called politically compromised,” said Kyiv’s cultural ruination. Oleksander Lytvynenko, an analyst at the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center for More than 600 representatives of Mykhailo Markiv Ukraine’s intellectual and cultural elite Economic and Political Research, which Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the newly elected chairman of Ukraine’s Parliament. gathered at the National University of is funded by more than 50 international Kyiv Mohyla Academy for an emer- organizations. “He’s not a party politi- gency meeting on November 30 that cian, but more of a technical bureaucrat “Kyrylenko would have been morally passed a single law. unanimously declared Ukraine a “zone and good executor. He’s not going to obliged to Tymoshenko,” said Yurii Political observers cast doubt that the of cultural misery.” lobby the interests of any particular Syrotiuk, political analyst at the Kyiv- fragile coalition could remain intact in The raucous meeting largely consisted political force.” based Open Society Foundation, which is the secret-ballot vote for Rada chair, of a three-hour public discussion at Observers said Mr. Yatsenyuk’s candi- financed by American, British and Polish when all it would take is bribing or mak- which cultural leaders offered their opin- dacy was strongly supported by government and private grants. ing a backroom deal with two deputies to ions, contributed to the meeting’s resolu- President Viktor Yushchenko, who “Yatsenyuk is obligated to Bankova [the undermine any candidate. tion and offered possible solutions to the sought to counterbalance the influence of presidential administration] and Yet, by 9 p.m., the Democratic Forces crisis. Yulia Tymoshenko, who has now drawn Yushchenko personally. The president Coalition proved it could muster the cru- Pent up with outrage, writers, theater significantly closer to returning as wanted his person, and not Tymoshenko’s cial votes when necessary, rallying all of directors, architects, artifact restorers and Ukraine’s prime minister. person. its 227 national deputies to arrive at the other cultural workers vented their frus- Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense Nevertheless, Ms. Tymoshenko spent Verkhovna Rada and vote for Mr. tration with the Ukrainian government, had earlier nominated stalwart national the December 4 session of the Verkhovna Yatsenyuk. which they accused of ruining all spheres democrat Viacheslav Kyrylenko for the Rada rallying the Democratic Forces In order to vote, National Deputy Ivan of Ukrainian cultural life and failing to post of Rada chair, but a camp within the Coalition in favor of Mr. Yatsenyuk’s Spodarenko had to be released from a hos- support its leaders. bloc led by Presidential Secretariat Chair nomination, knowing the coalition’s suc- pital, where he was diagnosed with a pre- Instead, cultural activists said con- Viktor Baloha emerged in opposition, cess depended on its quick approval of a stroke condition. struction bulldozers are destroying his- partly because Mr. Kyrylenko was too candidate for the parliamentary chair. “The session offered exceptional force closely allied with Ms. Tymoshenko, With only a one-vote majority, the (Continued on page 8) observers said. coalition risked unraveling before it (Continued on page 28) UCC meets with Canadian PM to discuss key policy priorities OTTAWA – The newly elected presi- first internment operations in 1914-1920. dent of the Ukrainian Canadian In particular they emphasized the need to Congress, Paul Grod, on November 30 memorialize these events through a com- led a delegation to discuss the communi- munity-based endowment, thereby ensur- ty’s key policy priorities with Prime ing the longevity and effectiveness of Minister Stephen Harper. these initiatives. Speaking about the Famine-Genocide “The prime minister reaffirmed of 1932-1933, Mr. Grod said, “During Canada’s commitment to supporting our discussions, the prime minister Ukraine’s democratic development,” said demonstrated his understanding of the Bob Onyschuk, UCC director and chair of enormity of the crime committed against the Canada Ukraine Foundation, which is the Ukrainian people.” charged with developing mutually benefi- “We asked that the Canadian govern- cial relations between Canada and Ukraine. ment through a unanimous act of “We look forward to working with the gov- Parliament, recognize the Holodomor as ernment of Canada in assisting Ukraine as a genocide against the Ukrainian people it develops into a full-fledged and economi- during this 75th anniversary of the cally robust democracy,” he added. Holodomor,” he added. Members of the delegation also includ- Office of the Prime Minister The UCC delegation also discussed ed Eugene Czolij, a past president of the The Ukrainian Canadian Congress delegation during a meeting with Canadian the ongoing negotiations with the gov- UCC, and National Vice-Presidents Daria Prime Minister Stephen Harper (left). ernment of Canada concerning Canada’s Luciw and Alexandra Chyczij. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2007 No. 49 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Praise and condemnation of Stalin: Rada elects Yatsenyuk as chair Miller and Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Yurii Boiko agreed on Russia and Ukraine go their separate ways KYIV – At its session on December 4, December 4 that Russia will supply natu- Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada elected ral gas to Ukraine at $179.5 per 1,000 by Taras Kuzio 1984 film “The Harvest of Despair” Arseniy Yatsenyuk as its new chairman, cubic meters in 2008, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian media reported. Mr. Eurasia Daily Monitor (video.google.com/videoplay?docid=38973 Ukrainian Service reported. Ukraine cur- 93411603039499) and Robert Conquest’s Yatsenyuk, proposed by the Yulia rently pays $130 per 1,000 cubic meters On November 24-25 the Ukrainian book, “The Harvest of Sorrow.” Tymoshenko Bloc (YTB) and the Our of gas, most of which comes from authorities marked the 75th anniversary of Second, the national-democratic opposi- Ukraine–People’s Self-Defense bloc Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan recently the 1932-1933 Famine. President Viktor tion uncovered “blank pages,” including the (OU-PSD), was supported by a narrow raised the price for gas sold to Russia Yushchenko, Acting Prime Minister Viktor Famine, during Gorbachev’s glasnost cam- majority of 227 votes from the YTB and from $100 to $130 in the first six months Yanukovych, former President Leonid paign. The Communist Party of Ukraine OU-PSD. Other parliamentary factions of 2008, and to $150 in the second half Kuchma and other political leaders attended (CPU) was forced to admit the existence of did not take part in the vote. The Party of of the year. Ukrainian President Viktor the ceremony. the Famine in a 1990 resolution. the Regions (PRU) and the Communist Yushchenko earlier said that the price for Writing in The Wall Street Journal Third, post-Soviet Presidents Leonid Party protested against the conduct of the gas supplies to Ukraine in 2008 would Online on November 26, President Kravchuk and Leonid Kuchma issued a vote by leaving the session hall. Nestor not exceed $160 per 1,000 cubic meters. Yushchenko said, “The Holodomor (Terror- decree on the 60th anniversary in 1993, and Shufrych of the PRU told UNIAN that Messrs. Miller and Boiko also set the Famine) was an act of genocide designed to more commemorative decrees, resolutions YTB and OU-PSD leaders, who stood transit fee for gas shipments across suppress the Ukrainian nation.” Mr. and appeals followed. near the ballot box, pressured lawmakers Ukraine and for gas shipments to Yushchenko described Stalin’s policy as In 2002-2004, Mr. Kuchma sought inter- as they cast their votes. (RFE/RL Ukraine across Russia at $1.7 per 1,000 aimed at destroying Ukrainian national national recognition of the Famine as Newsline) cubic meters per 100 kilometers. identity by targeting the peasantry and “genocide,” a policy that Mr. Yushchenko Yulia cites PRU bribery attempts (RFE/RL