The Ukrainian Weekly 2006, No.29
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• A fatal blow to the Orange coalition? — page 2. • A look at what is at stake in Ukraine — page 3. • Dancers galore at Yonkers and New York festivals — page 12. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIVTHE UKRAINIANNo. 29 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 16,W 2006 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine Radaby Zenon in Zawada crisis as new pro-Russian coalition is formed Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – Ukraine’s government plunged into crisis as pro-Russian groups led by the Party of the Regions announced they had formed a parliamen- tary coalition on July 11, while their pro- Western opponents called for a dismissal of the Verkhovna Rada and new parlia- mentary elections. The pro-Russian Anti-Crisis Coalition was formed just days after Socialist Party of Ukraine leader Oleksander Moroz betrayed the pro-Western Orange coalition agreement he had signed with the Our Ukraine and Yulia Tymoshenko blocs. In opening the Verkhovna Rada’s July 11 session, Mr. Moroz immediately declared the democratic coalition null and void, throwing the Parliament into chaos as pro-Western politicians began brawling and resorting to any measures needed to obstruct the day’s work. “I turn to television viewers and radio listeners: Do you see who doesn’t want the Verkhovna Rada to work, bringing in megaphones and other devices to the ses- sion hall?” Mr. Moroz asked amidst ear- piercing sirens sounded by Our Ukraine and Tymoshenko Bloc deputies. “The issue is not resolving political matters and passing the necessary laws. AP/Sergiy Chuzavkov The issue is that certain people, at any National deputies fight in the Verkhovna Rada during the July 11 session after the newly elected Parliament chairman, (Continued on page 11) Oleksander Moroz, announced the formation of the Anti-Crisis Coalition of pro-Russian political parties. Oleksander Moroz’s surprise President tries to stay above the fray, by Zenon Zawada Vinskyi added. Kyiv Press Bureau Just a few hours later, the Socialists wants Rada to resume legitimate work nominated Mr. Moroz as their candidate KYIV – It had come as a shock to for the Verkhovna Rada chair, a position KYIV — The Press Office of President Yushchenko proposed the fol- most Ukrainians. he had coveted ever since he lost it in President Viktor Yushchenko released a lowing steps: convening the Socialist Party of Ukraine National statement on July 12 on the recent events Constitutional Court as the only institu- Deputy Yosyp Vinskyi announced on the (Continued on page 8) in the Verkhovna Rada. Ivan Vasiunyk, tion that can settle legal collisions and afternoon of July 6 that the party’s chair- first deputy chief of staff, told the media the nomination of a non-controversial man, Oleksander Moroz, had betrayed that the president wants the Parliament to prime minister. the democratic coalition he had entered resume legitimate work and added that “Yesterday’s events in the Verkhovna into with Roman Bezsmertnyi of Our continued negotiations with parliamen- Rada show that this questionable political Ukraine and Yulia Tymoshenko of the tary parties is imperative, as is the nomi- performance in Parliament ... obviously eponymous bloc. nation of a “non-controversial” prime contradicts the fundamentals of the As part of the parliamentary coalition minister. European parliamentary culture and agreement, the Socialists were supposed According to the press release, Ukrainian laws. It is particularly impor- to support Our Ukraine’s nominee for President Yushchenko believes that tant in Ukraine, whose new Constitution chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, no deputies should observe the Constitution requires exceptional understanding and matter who it was. of Ukraine and Ukrainian laws, set knowledge of democratic mechanisms,” “Socialist national deputies and national interests as priorities, search for said Mr. Vasiunyk. Moroz personally created a system of compromises, and be ready to tolerantly, Mr. Vasiunyk added that the president absurd, imagined and unjustifiable argu- publicly and unemotionally start a dia- was “indignant that decisions in ments as justification for their anti-party logue in order to resolve the existing Parliament were made under pressure with position,” stated Mr. Vinskyi, who was problems. bribery and subornation involved, and so first secretary of the Socialist Party’s Commenting on the recent change in he urges all the forces in Parliament to Political Council until he resigned in coalitions, President Yushchneko said, discard such agreements and decisions, for protest to what he saw as Mr. Moroz’s “Unfortunately, we all see that politicians they devalue democracy, devalue betrayal of the party. have not learned to implement those Ukrainian government and promote huge “The goal of these arguments was to agreements but make political decisions political corruption in Parliament.” hide the true intention of a part of the Zenon Zawada secretly ‘under the table’.” “All attempts to contradict the logic of faction, which is trying to form a coali- Newly elected Verkhovna Rada Chair- In response to the change in the major- national reunion, including legal and tion with the Party of the Regions,” Mr. man Oleksander Moroz. ity coalition in the Verkhovna Rada, (Continued on page 8) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2006 No. 29 ANALYSIS A fatal blow to the Orange coalition? NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Former allies react to Moroz’s election attempted to seize the megaphones, and by Jan Maksymiuk candidate for this post. Mr. Poroshenko when members of the Party of the RFE/RL Newsline withdrew his candidacy, calling Moroz’s K YIV – Yulia Tymoshenko, whose Regions and the Tymoshenko Bloc jos- July 7 move a betrayal of the coalition deal eponymous bloc was part of the Orange tled in their efforts to control the rostrum. reached on June 22. Mr. Moroz was coalition, responded on July 7 to the The Tymoshenko Bloc was protesting the The Verkhovna Rada on July 6 approved as chairman with 238 votes election of Oleksander Moroz by calling recent formation of the Anti-Crisis resumed its work after 10 days of a exclusively from his party, the Party of on President Viktor Yushchenko to dis- Coalition, comprising the Socialist Party, blockade organized by lawmakers from the Regions and the Communist Party. band Parliament. The same day, the the Party of the Regions and the the Party of the Regions. In an unexpect- “There is a new coalition. Let them deputy head of the pro-presidential Our Communist Party. During the session, ed move, the Ukrainian Parliament elect- work, while we will be in opposition,” Our Ukraine faction, Roman Zvarych, said Socialist Party Chairman Moroz official- ed Socialist Party leader Oleksander Ukraine leader Roman Bezsmertnyi com- that Our Ukraine will consider leaving ly announced the alliance. Two weeks Moroz as its speaker. mented on what happened in the any democratic coalition in which the earlier, the Socialist Party joined the Mr. Moroz was elected by lawmakers Verkhovna Rada on July 6. Socialists participate and instead become Orange coalition with Our Ukraine and from the Party of Regions and the Ms. Tymoshenko did not comment an opposition party. (RFE/RL Newsline) the Tymoshenko Bloc. Mr. Moroz report- Communist Party, while his anticipated directly on the election of Mr. Moroz, edly sent the new coalition’s nomination coalition allies – the Yuliya Tymoshenko Moroz announces new coalition adding only that she does not understand for prime minister – Party of Regions Bloc and Our Ukraine – shunned the vote. what is going on. K YIV – Verkhovna Rada speaker Chairman Viktor Yanukovych – to Does the choice of the speaker spell an Meanwhile, Mr. Moroz explained his Oleksander Moroz on July 11 announced President Viktor Yushchenko. Outside the end to the Orange coalition deal reached in election as Parliament chairman by his the creation of a new coalition, which Parliament building, more than 1,000 June, after three months of uneasy talks? intention to heal the west-east division in includes lawmakers from the Party of the supporters of the Party of the Regions An impasse emerged in the Parliament Ukrainian society deepened by the 2004 Regions, the Socialist Party and the gathered to support the new coalition and on June 27, when lawmakers from the Orange Revolution and the 2006 parlia- Communist Party, Interfax reported. Mr. Mr. Yanukovych’s candidacy for the Party of the Regions led by former Prime mentary elections. Moroz also notified the Parliament of the Minister Viktor Yanukovych blocked the prime ministership. They held placards “We must reduce this tension, which dissolution of the Orange coalition. Yulia such as: “Broad Coalition – Guarantor of rostrum in and entrance to the Verkhovna has been artificially created; we must end Tymoshenko, the head of the eponymous Rada hall, thus preventing lawmakers of State Stability,” “Yulia, Calm Down” and the split we now see in Ukraine. I’m sure bloc and the leader of the dissolved coali- the coalition from opening a session. “Viktors, Unite Ukraine.” (RFE/RL we can overcome this problem. I’m even tion, described the new coalition on July Several days earlier, on June 22, the Newsline) more sure that we can bring together those 10 as “an illegal majority.” The Socialist three allies in the 2004 Orange Revolution who see themselves as the victors and Party, Ms. Tymoshenko argued, endorsed Coalition’s legitimacy questioned – the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (129 seats), those who see themselves as the van- Orange principles and the Communist Our Ukraine (81 seats), and the Socialist KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko quished,” Mr. Moroz said. Party pledged to fight against corruption, Party (33 seats) – signed a coalition deal, has questioned the legitimacy of the How Mr. Moroz is going to achieve this but both formations joined “the clan of following three months of negotiations.