INSIDE:• UCCA, UCC to send election observers to Ukraine — page 3. • $25,000 literary award is presented — page 12. • New exhibit focuses on life in the Chornobyl zone — page 13. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIV HE KRAINIANNo. 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2006 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister has high praise T U YushchenkoW denounces negative tone for constructive atmosphere in relations with U.S. of Party of the Regions campaign by Yaro Bihun Economy Minister Arsenii Yatseniuk, by Zenon Zawada recognized as a free market economy by Special to The Ukrainian Weekly sign a bilateral World Trade Organization Kyiv Press Bureau the United States and the European accession agreement here on Tuesday, Union,” the president said. “Had that WASHINGTON – “I cannot recall March 7, the U.S. House of KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko existed before?” such an exceptionally constructive and Representatives vote to free Ukraine criticized the negative tone of the Party The U.S. Congress’s recent moves to of the Regions election campaign, stating positive atmosphere in our relations.” from the economic shackles of the graduate Ukraine from the Jackson- that the party lacks an agenda that can That was how Foreign Affairs Minister Jackson-Vanik Amendment on Vanik Amendment will allow for exports intellectually compete with the govern- Borys Tarasyuk, who says that in one way Wednesday, March 8, and the Senate pas- to grow by $200 million, Mr. ment’s program. or another he has been involved in sage of the House version of that legisla- Yushchenko said. “This demonstrates a weak morality,” Ukraine’s foreign affairs since independ- tion on Thursday, March 9. Ukraine’s metallurgical, chemical and, President Yushchenko said at a March 14 ence, characterized the U.S.-Ukraine bilat- The only other possible step in the to some extent, its coal industry will gain eral relationship with one meeting left on press conference in Kyiv. “Politics is access to the U.S market, he said. process that remained – and some won by those who uniquely communi- his schedule of talks here on March 9-10. observers predicted it would happen after Graduation from Jackson-Vanik will also That last meeting – with the presi- cate, command knowledge and are able free Ukraine from more than 1,000 anti- Mr. Tarasyuk canceled his scheduled to offer a means of how to make things dent’s national security advisor, Stephen Friday meetings in New York to stay in dumping measures that have cost the Hadley – turned out to include another, better.” Ukrainian economy about $2 billion in Washington – would be the signing of the Throughout the parliamentary election unscheduled participant, President Jackson-Vanik “graduation” legislation potential trade, the president added. George W. Bush himself. season, the Party of the Regions has The recent U.S.-Ukraine agreement by President Bush. This did not happen, bombarded Ukrainian television with It was an unprecedented conclusion to but observers see no obstacles to it hap- establishing new bilateral trade protocols an unprecedented week, which saw negative ads that emphasize how things will increase Ukrainian exports by an another Ukrainian Cabinet member, (Continued on page 11) have changed for the worse, citing the additional $500 million or $600 million, current government’s inability to provide Mr. Yushchenko said. jobs and control inflation. Along with the U.S. recognition of The president mocked such ads in Ukraine’s market economy status, which “a funereal bass voice talks about Jackson-Vanik graduation will enable how hard it is to live in this country, how bad unemployment is, in a voice without (Continued on page 5) character, the voice of an abnormal per- son.” Such ads have made the 2006 election campaign “uninteresting, from the point of view of campaign platforms, which Voters’ committee voices are marked by primitivism, shady ven- tures and black PR,” he said. Seated under the words “Freedom of concerns about state Speech, Freedom of Choice,” which were carefully placed against a back- of district election bodies ground wall, President Yushchenko by Zenon Zawada answered questions posed by reporters, Kyiv Press Bureau many visiting from different regions of KYIV – The formation and activity of Ukraine. district election commissions remains in He stressed the successes of his first a “catastrophic” state, Committee of year in office, specifically citing Website of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Voters of Ukraine (CVU) Chair Ihor Ukraine’s improved relations with Popov said at a March 14 press confer- Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk during his meeting with U.S. Western powers. ence. President George W. Bush. “In the past five months we have been Virtually all the district election com- missions began their work significantly behind schedule, and nearly a third of them haven’t even begun to fully func- On the eve of elections, the view from Luhansk tion, he said. by Zenon Zawada the citizens activist organization Molod Regions further fortified their position “The Ukrainian government must Kyiv Press Bureau – Nadiya Ukrayiny (Youth – Hope of among Luhansk voters, earning their take quick and decisive steps to save the Ukraine), 69 percent of Luhansk voters admiration and trust. elections,” Mr. Popov said. “The situa- LUHANSK, Ukraine – Viktor will support the Party of the Regions. Party of the Regions supporters said tion today in providing the organization- Yanukovych didn’t falsify the vote. If “I trust Yanukovych like I trust my they fully trust Mr. Yanukovych, believe al and technical means to conduct elec- he did, then Viktor Yushchenko falsified that he cares about Ukraine’s future tions is catastrophic, primarily in organ- them, too. father,” said Yulia Chaplyna, 20, who added that she doesn’t follow politics and, in fact, “it was Mr. Yushchenko izing the work of district election com- And besides, the European Union missions.” much. “He wants to build a better future and his supporters who falsified the doesn’t want Ukraine to join. And even District elections commissions are for Ukraine. (Yushchenko’s) not doing vote,” Ms. Chaplyna said. if it did, Ukrainians are too different to those local voting stations where anything good for Ukraine.” Anna Honcharenko, 75, echoed that become Europeans. sentiment. Ukrainians will cast their ballots. A More than a year after the Orange Of 15 Luhansk residents approached Ukrainian oblast can have anywhere by The Weekly’s Kyiv bureau, nine said “It was the Orangists who falsified Revolution, such are the sentiments of the vote, not Yanukovych,” said Ms. between 900 and 1,800 district commis- residents of Luhansk, Ukraine’s eastern- they would vote for the Party of the sions, and about 33,000 will operate Regions. Another voter was undecided, Honcharenko, who belongs to an organ- most outpost, which will give the Party ization of 3,000 pensioners from her nationally. but said he was leaning toward the of the Regions the overwhelming factory who, she said, “all want a The main reason for the disorder, Party of the Regions. majority of its votes on March 26, when Yanukovych victory.” according to a CVU report released on the nation will elect its Parliament. Since the Orange Revolution, Mr. In a February 26 poll conducted by Yanukovych and the Party of the (Continued on page 5) (Continued on page 10) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2006 No. 12 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Kyiv tightens customs controls NEWSBRIEFS Rada bans sale of Nikopol plant something. I have never heard such words addressed to a human being, I have never along border with Transdniester KYIV – The Verkhovna Rada on March seen such boorishness. I was shocked,” 15 voted to include the Nikopol Ms. Horozhenko told RFE/RL’s Belarus by Jan Maksymiuk those Transdniestrian shipments that Ferroalloys Plant on a list of enterprises Service later the same day, after she spent RFE/RL Newsline have a stamp from Moldovan customs. that cannot be privatized in 2006-2007, several hours in jail and was released fol- The rules had been enacted three days Interfax-Ukraine reported. Parliament lowing an intervention of the Ukrainian On March 3 Ukraine introduced new earlier, and Mr. Yekhanurov noted that endorsed a similar bill in February, but it Embassy in Miensk. The fate of the other customs rules along the Transdniestrian Ukraine had given Transdniester notice was subsequently vetoed by President arrested Ukrainians and Belarusians is stretch of its border with Moldova. The of the change in February. Still, he Viktor Yushchenko. In January the unknown. “We have come here with a new rules make illegal the shipment of acknowledged with some surprise and Supreme Court ruled that the 2003 sale of peaceful purpose, to support the any goods from the Russian-speaking disappointment, Tiraspol’s response to a 25 percent stake in Nikopol for some $80 Belarusian people. We see that people are separatist Transdniester region that have date had been “ill-advised.” million to Viktor Pinchuk, the son-in-law intimidated here. They are afraid but they not been cleared by Moldovan customs. Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile of former President Leonid Kuchma, was want changes,” a Ukrainian girl named The Ukrainian move has effectively Tarlev has likewise commented on the illegal and returned it to the state. The gov- Natalka told RFE/RL shortly before her imposed a ban on exports by Tiraspol to new customs rules. Speaking on March 6 ernment intended to sell a 50 percent stake arrest. (RFE/RL Newsline) Russia, its main trade partner. in Chisinau, Mr. Tarlev said the regula- plus one share in Nikopol at an open auc- Transdniester leader Igor Smirnov tions are intended to make tion later this year.