INSIDE:• Ukrainian American philanthropist Omelan Antonovych dies — page 4. • Book notes: Famine of 1921-1923, “Heroes and Villains” — page 8. • Special section: Ukrainian Debutante Balls — pages 9-13. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXVITHE UKRAINIAN No. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCHW 9, 2008 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine Ukrainianby Illya M. LabunkaCatholic Church’sLiakhovych then compared leader the words of the Gospelcelebrates to two milestones Kyiv Press Bureau the life of Cardinal Husar, underscoring the fact that the primate’s life is a constant journey in helping oth- KYIV – “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” were the ers, as well as a journey filled with meetings and words used by the Rev. Borys Gudziak, rector of the exchanges involving various strata of society. Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, to describe the In praising Cardinal Husar’s leadership and commu- legacy of gratitude and penitence of His Beatitude nication skills, Bishop Liakhovych pointed out his Lubomyr Husar, following a special liturgy celebrated deep wisdom, empathy and good sense of humor. “His in honor of the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Beatitude suffers from poor eyesight, but at the same Church (UGCC) as he marked two major jubilees. time he enjoys a keen sense of balanced judgment, an On the morning of March 2 hundreds of faithful, excellent memory, and a faith filled with purity, sincer- including dozens of priests, bishops and archbishops of ity and openness. His stature exudes a sense of peace, both the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic and Roman delicacy, sympathy and fatherly love,” added Bishop Catholic Churches, and members of religious orders Liakohvych. flocked to the Church of St. Basil the Great in Kyiv for Bishop Liakhovych reminded the faithful that a Liturgy of Thanksgiving commemorating Major Cardinal Husar also has an excellent command of Archbishop and Cardinal Lubomyr Husar’s 75th birth- many modern languages, but suggested that the major day as well as the 50th anniversary of his ordination to archbishop’s greatest linguistic skill is the gift from the the priesthood. Holy Spirit which allows him to speak many other Among the dignitaries and guests who took part in types of languages, namely the language of a child and the liturgy honoring the UGCC primate were simple human being, the language of youth and the Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, apostolic nuncio to elderly, the language of politics and state leaders, the Ukraine; the Most Rev. Ihor Wozniak, archbishop of language of artists and scientists, and, ultimately, the Lviv; the Most Rev. Dionisiy Liakhovych, curial bish- language of the Church and ecumenical dialogue. op of the UGCC; and the Most Rev. Stanislav Through his pastoral letters, Cardinal Husar utilizes his Shyrokoradiuk, auxiliary bishop of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr language skills to comfort those who suffer, as well as Roman Catholic Diocese. to condemn injustice, corruption and other moral Laity in attendance included Verkhovna Rada defects in society, said Bishop Liakhovych. Chairman Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vice-Prime Minister Following the liturgy, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic for Humanitarian Affairs Ivan Vasiunyk. announced a formal pontifical greeting from Pope In his homily Bishop Liakhovych reflected on a Benedict XVI, which included the pontiff’s wish for Illya M. Labunka quote from the day’s Gospel and urged all those pres- Cardinal Husar to continue anew his priestly journey, Patriarch Lubomyr Husar during a special Liturgy ent to remember: “Everything which you have done to of Thanksgiving on the occasion of his 75th birthday and my smallest of brethren you have done to me.” Bishop (Continued on page 3) the 50th anniversary of his priestly ordination. Yushchenko congratulates Russia’s president-elect Ukraine’s richest person, Observers uncertain what Medvedev presidency will bring Akhmetov, worth $14.62 B by Illya M. Labunka political line vis-à-vis Ukraine will be the KYIV – Rinat Akhmetov, whose for- list are: Mr. Akhmetov, co-owner of the Kyiv Press Bureau direct implementation of “liberal imperi- tune totals $14.62 billion (U.S.), is the SCM company and a PRU national alism,” he added. richest person in Ukraine, according to deputy – whose fortune is estimated at KYIV – Ukraine’s President Viktor At the same time, Moscow will active- Focus magazine. $14.62 billion as of February (compared Yushchenko on March 3 congratulated ly attempt to control Ukrainian com- The chief editor of Focus magazine, to March 2007, when it was $12 billion); Russian President-elect Dmitry merce and banking through Russian busi- Mykhailo Hladkyi, said at a news confer- Victor Pinchuk, co-owner of the compa- Medvedev on his victory, one day after nesses in Ukraine, particularly with ence on February 29 that Ukrainian mil- ny East One, $10.5 billion (March 2007 – the current prime minister of Russia easi- respect to privatization, Mr. Karasiov lionaires and billionaires became richer $4.4 billion); Ihor Kolomoiskyi, co- ly won the Russian presidential election. said. by an average of 25 percent during the owner of the Pryvat Group, $4.76 billion “I am certain the fact that you have If Kyiv does not comply, Moscow will past year. The total assets of the 130 ($3.3 billion); Gennadiy Bogolyubov, co- been elected as president of friendly exert pressure in the energy sector by try- Ukrainians who appear on the maga- owner of the Pryvat Group, $4.5 billion Russia will ensure that good neighborly ing to take control of the gas-transit sys- zine’s list of Ukraine’s wealthiest persons ($3.2 billion); Kostyantyn Zhevago, co- relationships between our two countries tem in Ukraine, in order to establish exceed $100 billion. owner of the Ferrexpo company and will be dynamic and strong, based on our alternate routes of energy delivery, said According to Mr. Hladkyi, 39 new national deputy of the Yulia Tymoshenko mutual hopes and for the benefit of our Mr. Karasiov. names appear on the list this year, and Bloc, $3.83 billion ($1.7 billion); nations. Such developments are in con- Similarly, with respect to the energy these neophytes have a total fortune of $8 Volodymyr Boyko, chairman of the board gruence with the strategic character of sector, not much will change except that billion. Eighteen national deputies of the of Illich MMC OJSC, $3.15 billion ($1.3 Russian-Ukrainian relations, which have now there will actually be two centers of Verkhovna Rada – the majority of them billion); Vitaliy Gaiduk, co-owner of the existed over a long period of time,” said influence, according to Kyiv political members of the Party of the Regions Industrial Union of Donbas corporation, Mr. Yushchenko in his greetings. insider Volodymyr Fesenko. “As a result, (PRU) – also appear on the 2008 ranking. $2.77 billion ($2.3 billion); Sergiy However, the comments and predic- the Ukrainian government will now be Mr. Hladkyi explained that a group of Taruta, co-owner of Industrial Union of tions of various political analysts, both in compelled to deal with both Mr. 10 people, including financial specialists, Donbas corporation, $2.65 billion ($ 2.3 Ukraine and Russia, offer a less opti- Medvedev and [Vladimir] Putin,” added worked on the ranking, which includes billion); Vadym Novynskyi, co-owner of mistic outlook. Mr. Fesenko. people whose personal fortunes exceed Metinvest (SCM) company and owner of “An increase in economic, energy and Likewise, a pro-Russian cultural $100 million. The group used only open Smart holding, $2.55 billion ($650 mil- cultural pressure on Ukraine – these will expansion will be focused on the ideolo- information resources to determine the lion); and Konstyantyn Grygorishyn, be the consequences we can expect fol- gy of “defending the rights and interests” rankings; deposits, private property, real adviser of the Energy Standard Group lowing the election of Russia’s new pres- of those who in Moscow are known as estate and automobiles were not taken JSC, $1.73 billion ($908 million). ident, Dmitry Medvedev,” said Vadym the “Russian-speaking members of the into account. Karasiov, director of the Institute of Making it into the top 10 of the 2008 Source: UNIAN news service. Global Strategies in Kyiv. The new (Continued on page 5) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2008 No. 10 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Putin’s plan progresses, but meaning Party of the Regions holds congress Verkhovna Rada, which has been dead- locked for several weeks, as based on “arti- SEVERODONETSK, Ukraine – At least ficial circumstances” and said that it will of Dmitry Medvedev remains obscure 3,600 supporters of the opposition Party of soon be over. “The Ukrainian Parliament the Regions – legislators, representatives of by Pavel K. Baev light is shed on the character of the new will resume effective work and demonstrate local and regional self-governments, politi- leader from either source. to the market, first of all the business mar- Eurasia Daily Monitor cal parties, non-governmental organizations The last weeks of the election cam- ket, its political stability,” Mr. Yushchenko and foreign guests – gathered on March 1 in Elections are supposed to focus on the paign were supposed to put Mr. Medvedev told the forum. “In other words, there is no Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast, to attend question of who wins, but Russia makes in the spotlight, but the extensive report- reason for dramatizing [the situation], but their second congress, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian an exception: President Vladimir Putin’s ing in the mainstream media remained lessons should be learned,” he added. Service reported. The gathering considered re-election in early 2004 had no suspense entirely businesslike. His refusal to par- (RFE/RL Newsline) four issues of current Ukrainian policy: at all. But with the electoral exercise that take in debates with other candidates elim- “violations of the rights of local and region- Is Ukraine’s gas debt settled? took place on March 2, the question was inated the chance to see how he keeps his al self-governments,” “violations the rights not about “Who?” but rather, “So what?” composure under pressure.