The Ukrainian Weekly 2005, No.10
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• Radio Canada International has “abandoned Ukraine” — page 3. • Plast’s summer camps in Argentina held in Andes — pages 8-9. • Hockey great Johnny Bucyk on Canadian stamp — page 12. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIII HE KRAINIANNo. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2005 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine Government announces arrests Ukraine’sT choice Ufor representative W in case of Gongadze murder at Eurovision 2005 causes controversy by Zenon Zawada er, made no effort to mask her disap- by Zenon Zawada Kyiv Press Bureau pointment. Kyiv Press Bureau “I don’t like the group Greenjolly,” KYIV – Ukraine seems to be hard- Ms. Mozhova said at the press confer- KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko pressed to hold any kind of vote without ence while sitting next to the band. “I on March 1 announced a breakthrough in deep-rooted division or accusations of like the singer Ani Lorak.” the case of Heorhii Gongadze’s disap- fraud. This time, heroes of the Orange The dark-haired stunner from pearance, confirming that Ukrainian Revolution, rather than the country’s Chernivtsi finished 295 votes shy of police officers murdered him in leaders, are the focus of protests. Greenjolly’s 2,247 total. Ms. Lorak per- September 2000 and former President Ukraine held its first national competi- formed her song “Another Little Shot” in Leonid Kuchma suppressed any investi- tion on February 27 to decide its repre- English, and early vote tallies showed her gation. sentative at Eurovision 2005, Europe’s with a commanding lead. “The former government not only premier music contest. Ms. Lorak’s Eurovision costume was a lacked the political will to solve the After 19 performing acts entertained very revealing, exotic, African-themed case,” Mr. Yushchenko said. “There was- hundreds of adoring teens on live televi- outfit that exposed much of her firm, n’t merely a deficit of desire. The gov- sion, viewers selected by telephone slender body. Her glamorous image was ernment gave cover to the murderers. which musician or group would represent a stark contrast to the Greenjolly guys, The goal was to never solve the case.” Ukraine. who looked perfectly comfortable in Additionally, authorities also arrested The winners were Greenjolly – known sweatshirts and jeans. two police officers for their direct role in here as Gryndzholy – the Ivano- However, Greenjolly votes poured in Mr. Gongadze’s murder, said Sviatoslav Frankivsk trio who wrote the hip-hop toward the end of the 20-minute tele-vot- Piskun, the procurator general of anthem that inspired Ukrainians through- ing session, and, for the second consecu- Ukraine. A third officer is free but not out the Orange Revolution, “Razom Nas tive year, Ms. Lorak lost the opportunity allowed to leave Kyiv, and the fourth, Bahato.” to perform in front of Europe. Gen. Oleksii Pukach, has fled abroad, he The band’s glee upon winning, howev- Incidentally, Ms. Lorak sang at politi- said. Journalist Heorhii Gongadze, 31, who er, was not shared by some disappointed cal rallies supporting former Prime With the arrests, Mr. Yushchenko has was murdered in September 2000. musicians, critics and music fans, who Minister Viktor Yanukovych in his failed accomplished in one month what his argued the song’s strong political tone bid for the presidency. predecessor neglected to do in four and a To commit the crime, the officers used and limited musical depth didn’t merit an “I don’t want to engage in politics,” half years. a sports jeep belonging to the depart- invitation to Eurovision. Ms. Lorak said in a statement released Resolving the Gongadze murder was a ment, which the Procurator General’s Others accused the contest’s organiz- after the vote. “Everyone should engage direct mandate from Mr. Yushchenko fol- Office had parked in its lot for journalists ers of using the event to advance a politi- in their own affairs: musicians – music, lowing his election, Mr. Piskun said. The to view. cal agenda. public’s trust in the new administration Two months after the murder, Mr. Olena Mozhova, the contest’s produc- (Continued on page 10) depended on it, he noted. Gongadze’s headless body was found in “Viktor Andriyovych stated that the the Tarascha forest outside the city. resolution of this crime is a matter of Many questions still remain unan- Battle over control of Dynamo honor,” Mr. Piskun said. “The president’s swered. When asked about the murder- task has been accomplished. The matter ers’ motives, Mr. Piskun replied curtly, is solved. The perpetrators of this horri- “Later.” heads into Ukraine’s courts ble crime are arrested.” Asked whether the murder was a The suspects were arrested on a solid political order, Mr. Piskun said, “It is dif- by Zenon Zawada largest stake in Dynamo Kyiv. base of evidence that proves the two men ficult to say now. This is being investi- Kyiv Press Bureau He alleges that the brothers attempted “directly executed the murders,” Mr. gated as well.” to sell their shares in Dynamo Kyiv after Piskun said. Mr. Piskun declined to say whether KYIV – A fierce battle over control of ignoring his request to buy them, he said. At a March 2 press conference, Mr. authorities have retrieved Mr. Gongadze’s the Dynamo Kyiv soccer club has spilled As a shareholder, he said, he has the legal Piskun offered the first official descrip- head, indicating that he would address into the courts, which have frozen almost right to buy the Dynamo Kyiv shares tion of how Mr. Gongadze was mur- that also on a future occasion. all its shares at the request of one of the before they are sold. dered. Divers are currently searching for evi- feuding partners. At one point, Mr. Grigorishin owned On the night of September 16, 2000, dence, Mr. Yushchenko said, and there The Pechersk regional court ruled on 18 percent of Dynamo Kyiv’s shares. His Mr. Gongadze left the offices of the are hints as to the whereabouts of Mr. February 23 that 98.71 percent of partners authorized a stock split and Ukrainska Pravda Internet newspaper Gongadze’s head. Dynamo Kyiv’s shares are frozen indefi- reduced his stake to a mere 0.1 percent. and approached a parked car strategically As to the names of those detained, all nitely after Russian businessman As part of the Pechersk ruling, the placed by the murderers who had been Mr. Piskun offered was that they were all Konstantyn Grigorishin filed a lawsuit to court has asked that the partners submit stalking him. Thinking it was a taxi cab, Kyiv residents. He declined to reveal the prevent any possible sales. all documents related to the stock split, Mr. Gongadze sat in the passenger seat. names because that would violate the Mr. Grigorishin currently owns 0.1 their attempts to sell the stock and all The driver then told him the seat was law, adding, “This is a serious matter, for percent of a share of Dynamo Kyiv, but their official meetings. broken, and he should sit in the back seat which there will be a serious court.” stated he wants to take over the soccer Hryhorii Surkis claims Mr. instead, Mr. Piskun said. Once Mr. They are all leaders in the criminal club, or 98.71 percent of the remaining Grigorishin never attempted to buy those Gongadze switched his place, three reconnaissance administration of the shares. shares. police officers jumped in the back seat. police force, he said. “Although I didn’t have the goal of “He declared war,” said Mr. Surkis. “I The assailants drove beyond Kyiv, in the Authorities are currently engaged in taking Dynamo Kyiv, I will take it out of didn’t write him a ticket for a war. direction of the town of Bila Tserkva. an international search for Mr. Pukach, principle,” he said. “My goal is to return Believe me, I know how to fight. But “On the road, they beat him,” Mr. the former head of the external supervi- the funds that were taken under pretense without weapons, with words. And Piskun said. “Then they brought him to sion department of Ukraine’s Ministry of of Dynamo Kyiv.” everything will conform to law.” their place, tied his hands, killed him, Internal Affairs, Mr. Piskun said. Mr. Grigorishin, who owns stock in at Ukraine’s Minister of the Economy poured gasoline on his body and set it on What remains to be seen is how many least a dozen of Ukraine’s power distri- Serhii Teriokhin acknowledged on fire.” more government officials will be bution companies, has been in a vicious February 24 that Dynamo Kyiv’s owners Mr. Piskun later added that charged in Mr. Gongadze’s murder and feud for many years with the Surkis Gongadze’s murderers had choked him brothers, Ihor and Hryhorii, who own the (Continued on page 19) to death. (Continued on page 18) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2005 No. 10 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Ukraine moves a step closer to Europe NEWSBRIEFS Yushchenko: Gongadze murder solved avoid touching those who ordered it,” by Taras Kuzio W. Bush mentioned Ukraine twice in his Ukrainian political scientist Dmytro Eurasia Daily Report state of the union address, and Ukraine’s KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko Vydryn commented to the Ukrainska democratic revolution certainly fits his said on March 1 that the murder of Internet Pravda website. (RFE/RL Newsline) During President Viktor Yushchenko’s announced plans to support democracy journalist Heorhii Gongadze in 2000 has first month in office, he visited Europe around the world. been solved and the suspected murderers Former president loses perks twice, appearing at the European Presidents Bush and Yushchenko met have been arrested, Ukrainian media Parliament, European Union, Council of reported.