INSIDE:• Ukraine’s elections: between the Russian and Belarusian scenarios — page 6. • Hundreds of international observers arrive for the elections — page 8. • Journey to a recovered memory in Volochysk — page 9. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXVII HE No.KRAINIAN 44 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1999 EEKLY$1.25/$2 in Ukraine NewT information aboutU attack on Vitrenko Kaniv Four disintegratesW as coalition appears to reveal a surprising conspiracy cannot agree on a single candidate by Roman Woronowycz an permission to do so. by Roman Woronowycz explained Mr. Tkachenko. “Our plans to Kyiv Press Bureau Mr. Mitrofanov explained that he had Kyiv Press Bureau mobilize the electorate have failed. In this been prepared to have a handwriting analy- situation, there is no sense in continuing to KYIV – The investigation of the October sis done of the note to ascertain its authen- KYIV – Unable to agree on who among pursue our main task.” 2 grenade attack on presidential candidate ticity, but will wait until the same Ukrainian them should be their single presidential can- He drew gasps and shouts from journal- Natalia Vitrenko took on a new dimension officials conduct their own analysis, which didate, the Kaniv Four political alliance dis- ists when he made another unexpected dec- on October 21 when a Russian parliamen- he said would occur after the October 31 integrated on October 26, with each candi- laration: that he had agreed in talks with Mr. tary hearing revealed that Ms. Vitrenko’s presidential elections. date going his own way, and Oleksander Symonenko to withdraw his own candidacy own people might have been involved in The State Security Service of Ukraine Tkachenko announcing that he had aligned in favor of the Communist Party candidate. the conspiracy. issued a statement on October 22, underlin- with Communist candidate Petro Mr. Tkachenko said three members of The hearing was conducted by the State ing that it was determined to find the source Symonenko. the alliance had spent the better part of the Duma Committee on Geopolitics to ascer- of the information leak, but denying that it The alliance twice appeared to have day trying to convince Mr. Moroz to tain the involvement of the two Russian cit- was responsible because it did not immedi- agreed on a single candidate, first endorse Mr. Marchuk and withdraw his izens charged by Ukrainian law enforce- ately receive the case from the state militia. Oleksander Moroz on October 14, and then own candidacy. He specifically blamed the ment officials in the attack, after the mother For her part, Ms. Sokurenko has denied briefly Yevhen Marchuk on October 25, but Socialist Party candidate for the group’s dis- of one of the accused sent a letter to the any involvement in the grenade attack. In a their varying political opinions and strong integration because of his failure to do so. committee asking that it defend his honor fax she sent to the Kyiv newspaper Den, individual ambitions finally caused the “Moroz, without consulting with and dignity. which first published excerpts of the coalition – which was better at projecting a Marchuk, or Oliinyk, or Tkachenko, yester- During the session, the committee’s alleged admission by Mr. Ivanchenko on united front than achieving it – to fall apart. day announced that he was forced to heed chairman, Aleksii Mitrofanov, presented a October 22, Ms. Sokurenko said the docu- The switch to Mr. Marchuk after the the demand of the Politburo of the Socialist copy of what he called the official transcrip- ments in Mr. Mitrofanov’s possession are group seemingly had agreed on Mr. Moroz Party and would continue his candidacy on tion of the initial interrogation of one of the fakes, which the Russian parliamentarian caused some surprise here, but not nearly as his own, thus betraying us,” said Mr. two men arrested, in which the suspect has “without basis called copies of the orig- much as when Mr. Tkachenko, after having Tkachenko allegedly implicates a member of Ms. inal interrogation of Vladimir Ivanchenko.” held journalists at bay for four hours while Mr. Moroz indeed already had stated Vitrenko’s own campaign team in a con- “The examination of this document, the group ostensibly finalized a political that he would continue his candidacy and spiracy to kill the presidential candidate. which as of today has not been authenticat- document formally endorsing their new would not withdraw from the race, but The suspect, Vladimir Ivanchenko, who ed by either Mr. Ivanchenko or investiga- choice, announced at a press conference political experts expected that the Kaniv along with his accomplice, Andrei tors, is nothing more than the most basic of that the alliance was no more. Four would continue in a variation simi- Samoilov, has been charged in the grenade provocations, which I rate as the interfer- “Today we had another round of consul- lar to what occurred with the group’s ini- assault in which more than 33 people were tations, yet we failed to convince Moroz to injured, is said to have told Ukrainian law (Continued on page 8) abide by our preliminary agreement,” (Continued on page 8) enforcement officials that he was offered $3,000, and $2,000 to a partner of his choice, by Natalia Sokurenko, who present- ed herself as a registered official of the Plast begins 50th anniversary celebration during 24th national convention Vitrenko campaign. by Halyna Kuzyszyn-Holubec Approximately 200 Plast members they had much to say about what direc- “She offered me a good amount of Special to The Ukrainian Weekly took part in the 24th national conven- tion Plast is heading in and how they money and said that if I agreed to put tion, including 125 delegates represent- will continue to be involved in the year together a theatrical attack on her boss, KERHONKSON, N.Y. – Fifty years ing the votes of their respective local 2000 and beyond. Natalia Vitrenko, and spend three to five after re-establishing itself on American branches, as well as fraternities and Lesya Richardson, 23, of the Chicago days in a detention cell, I would get soil, the Plast Ukrainian Scouting sororities active within the organization. branch, has been a member of Plast $3,000,” Mr. Ivanchenko is alleged to have Organization – U.S.A., is entering the Many more Plast youths were present told Ukrainian interrogators after his arrest. new millennium by focusing on its at this year’s meeting than in the past; (Continued on page 4) He said that he was assured by Ms. young scouts and growing membership. Sokurenko that after a few days in jail, he At the biennial convention (Krayovyi would be released. Plastovyi Zyizd) of representatives from Mr. Ivanchenko writes further that the U.S. branches of Plast held at Soyuzivka point of the conspiracy, as explained to him, on October 23-24, Plast members – both was to discredit his brother, Serhii, who younger and older – discussed upcoming was a registered representative of the cam- plans for the 50th anniversary celebra- paign team of Oleksander Moroz in Kryvyi tion of the organization’s establishment Rih. in the United States, examined issues The brother disappeared after the attack, many counselors face at camps and and Ukrainian law enforcement officials in weekly meetings, held discussions on conjunction with Interpol began conducting the progress made by the American lead- an international search for him after a cache ership of Plast, and elected new national of arms was discovered at his dacha. They leaders for a two-year term that spans suspect that he is the prime conspirator in the end of one millennium and the the attack on Ms. Vitrenko. beginning of another. Mr. Mitrofanov, who belongs to Delegates also voted to formally Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s Liberal Democratic change the name of their organization Party, did not reveal how he came into pos- from Plast Ukrainian Youth Organization session of the documents, although he sug- to Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization gested that they were obtained from the – U.S.A. to better reflect the organiza- accused’s lawyer and mother. He said dur- tion’s roots, which go back to 1911 in ing a Kyiv press conference that he wanted Ukraine as the uniquely Ukrainian adap- tation of Scouting for Boys founded in to verify the validity of the documents by Halyna Kuzyszyn-Holubec meeting with Mr. Ivanchenko in Kyiv. 1908 in Great Britain by Robert Baden- However, he said, the Security Service of Powell. Young adult members of Plast perform during the 50th anniversary banquet. Ukraine refused the Russian parliamentari- 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1999 No. 44 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS EU unveils new approach Tkachenko says his life is threatened Mr. Marchuk was the Ukrainian SSR KGB’s first deputy chairman in 1990 and KYIV – Oleksander Tkachenko said on chief of the Security Service of Ukraine in to eastward enlargement October 25 that a terrorist act is being 1991-1994. (RFE/RL Newsline) by Breffni O’Rourke in terms of democratization and econom- planned against him. “This is not a provoca- tion, and I have reported the names and RFE/RL Newsline ic reform. However, it says that Slovakia Vitrenko wants to freeze foreign debts telephone numbers of terrorists to the does not yet have a fully functioning appropriate bodies,” Interfax quoted Mr. KYIV – Ukraine should declare bank- The European Union on October 13 market mechanism and, in addition, Tkachenko as saying. He added that attack- ruptcy in order to overcome the budget cri- announced a radically new approach to needs to do more to implement policy ers want to assassinate him by planting a sis, stated presidential candidate Natalia the process of enlargement into Central decisions and legislation on administra- bomb near the Verkhovna Rada building or Vitrenko on October 26.