Ukrainians Descend on Glasgow for Ukraine
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INSIDE: • Election notebook: The final results are in... — page 3. • Statue of Stepan Bandera unveiled in Lviv — page 3. • Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute has new home — 5. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXV No. 42 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2007 $1/$2 in Ukraine 65th anniversary of UPA’s founding Orange Revolution allies draft marked as national holiday in Ukraine Democratic Forces Coalition pact by Zenon Zawada Orange government, the Kyiv press corps Kyiv Press Bureau remained cautious in declaring it a done deal, remembering how a nascent coalition KYIV – Prospects for the first Orange unraveled last year when Socialist Party parliamentary majority leapt forward Chair Oleksander Moroz betrayed his when Yulia Tymoshenko and Our Ukraine allies after signing a pact with them. leader Viacheslav Kyrylenko on October Soon after the pact’s announcement, the 17 presented the draft of a parliamentary Ukrainian media began speculating on coalition agreement they vowed their how the coalition could fall apart and what respective blocs would support unani- role the Party of the Regions would play in mously. that scenario. They also guaranteed ironclad support For example, voting for the for the candidacies of Ms. Tymoshenko as Parliament’s chair will take place under a prime minister and Mr. Kyrylenko as secret ballot, a particularly vulnerable situ- Verkhovna Rada chair. ation for the Orange forces. Unanimous support is critical for their “Regions deputies could reach agree- proposed Democratic Forces Coalition to ments with wavering Tymoshenko emerge because its parliamentary majority deputies so as not to vote for the young would be based on a slim margin of three Our Ukraine leader [Mr. Kyrylenko] as votes, or 228 deputies out of 450. speaker in exchange for material bonuses,” “It is acceptable,” said Ivan Lozowy, speculated Ukrayinska Pravda, a leading president of the Kyiv-based Institute of Zenon Zawada news website, in an October 18 article. Statehood and Democracy, financed by Supporters of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) carry a large blue-and-yel- “Then the coalition will be broken.” Ukrainian businesses. “A lot of the votes low flag as part of an October 14 march on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv to mark A Democratic Forces Coalition would in the past have been really close, where the army’s 65th anniversary. give President Viktor Yushchenko some- the reserve hasn’t been very deep. This is thing he has not had during his two and a by Zenon Zawada evych the most prestigious homor offered traditional for the Ukrainian Parliament, half years in office: a parliamentary major- which nobody dominated during its whole Kyiv Press Bureau by the Ukrainian government, Hero of ity that supports his legislative policies and Ukraine. period of independence.” KYIV – When Ukrainians this year on Shouts of “Slava” (Glory) filled the As the likelihood increased for an (Continued on page 22) October 14 commemorated the 65th National Arts Palace, later followed by anniversary of the founding of the chants of “Yush-chen-ko,” something Mr. Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), it was Yushchenko has heard rarely since the the first time in the nation’s history they early days of his presidency. Ukrainians descend had done so with the government recog- The 65th anniversary commemoration nizing it as an official holiday. proved to be the most well-organized and No longer hampered by elections, grand event honoring the UPA since on Glasgow for Ukraine- President Viktor Yushchenko issued a Ukrainian independence, with up to 500 presidential decree on October 12 author- veterans in attendance. Scotland soccer match izing local governments to plan events to Prior to the evening commemoration, commemorate the UPA’s founding, pro- the veterans huddled on the steps of the by Christina Maria Paschyn vide benefits and awards to veterans, and concert hall and sang UPA songs with Special to The Ukrainian Weekly support educational campaigns about the such lyrics as, “Khloptsi, pidemo, GLASGOW, Scotland – Kilts UPA. borotysia budemo” (Let’s go, boys, we His gesture drew immense gratitude may still be the hot thing to wear in will fight) and “U luzi na poliantsi, stoy- Scotland, but last weekend a new from the more than 3,500 UPA veterans aly povstantsi” (In the meadow on the and supporters gathered for an evening fashion craze hit the streets of glade stoods the insurgents). Glasgow: red boots and embroi- concert at the Ukrayina National Arts Yulia Tymoshenko joined the Palace on October 14, the Feast Day of dered shirts. Ukrainian president in coming out of More than 300 Ukrainians from the Protection of the Mother of God. campaign mode and demonstrating her “Reviving the historical truth means a Europe and North America support for the UPA. She attentively descended on the city on October common movement forward for us as a watched the concert and remained until united society and a united nation of a 13 to watch the Ukrainian national its very end. soccer team play against Scotland. great people of the world,” Mr. Other high-profile politicians and offi- Yushchenko said in his speech. Although Scotland won the cials in attendance included Ms. match 3-1, the Ukraine fans still “Recognizing the vital weight of this Tymoshenko’s ally Andrii Shkil, National process, I decisively and unequivocally managed to stun the crowds at Security and Defense Council Secretary Hampden Park stadium. insist on government recognition of vet- Ivan Pliusch, Acting Security Service of Dressed in bright yellow Ukraine erans of the Ukrainian underground …” Ukraine Chair Valentyn Nalyvaichenko soccer shirts and traditional cos- A long, boisterous standing ovation and Ukrainian People’s Party leaders tumes, the small group stood out interrupted the Ukrainian president upon Yurii Kostenko and Ivan Zayets. amidst the 52,000 kilt-wearing these words. In his remarks, the president said the Scots surrounding them. “… and I turn to the newly elected UPA is among the 20th century’s most Throughout the match the Parliament of Ukraine and the future tragic armies, but its soldiers are victors Ukrainian diaspora members waved Christina M. Paschyn government to reach this decision,” the because their faith in the future nation tri- massive blue-and-yellow flags and Scottish Ukrainian Alex Demianczuk president continued. umphed above all. from Edinburgh, cheers on Ukraine in Mr. Yushchenko then announced his “It’s necessary to clearly and lucidly decision to award posthumously UPA (Continued on page 13) his Ukrainian jersey and kilt. Commander-in-Chief Roman Shukh- (Continued on page 4) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2007 No. 42 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS The mysterious Ukrainian debt to Gazprom CEC announces official results Yulia Tymoshenko commented on the power-sharing deal. “The Parliament is by Roman Kupchinsky Firtash. KYIV – The Central Election new, those in power are new and the Gazprom presently owns 50 percent RFE/RL Newsline Commission (CEC) on October 15 democratic team has grounds to reform of RosUkrEnergo, while Mr. Firtash and announced official results of the all sectors of life so that people feel tan- Ukraine has reached an agreement on his partner, Ivan Fursin, a banker from September 30 pre-term parliamentary gible changes in the country,” she added. its outstanding debt to Gazprom, clearing Odesa, own the rest through a company elections, Ukrainian media reported. The According to unconfirmed reports, Ms. the air ahead of negotiations on gas sup- called Centragas, which in turn is owned Party of the Regions won 34.37 percent plies for 2008 and mollifying wary Tymoshenko is to be nominated as prime by the secretive Mabofi Holdings in of the vote (175 seats); the Yulia minister by President Viktor Yushchenko, European consumers. But behind the tur- Cyprus. Tymoshenko Bloc, 30.71 percent (156 bid deal stands one outstanding question while Cabinet portfolios are to be distrib- Alexander Medvedev, the deputy head seats); Our Ukraine – People’s Self- uted on a 50-50 basis between the two – how was such a large debt accrued in of Gazprom’s management committee, Defense, 14.15 percent (72 seats); the the first place? blocs. The Tymoshenko Bloc is to take sits on RosUkrEnergo’s board, as does Communist Party, 5.39 percent (27 After the Russian energy giant charge of the Cabinet’s economic portfo- Valery Golubev, who is in charge of seats); and the Volodymyr Lytvyn Bloc, Gazprom threatened earlier this month to lios, while Our Ukraine – People’s Self- Gazprom’s sales to CIS countries. And 3.96 percent (20 seats). Out of nearly 39 cut off natural gas to Ukraine unless it Defense will run the ministries dealing Konstantin Chuichenko, the head of million eligible voters, 23.3 million peo- received $1.3 billion for past supplies, with defense, security and culture. Gazprom’s legal division, serves as co- ple took part in the ballot (62 percent). Russian President Vladimir Putin (RFE/RL Newsline) director of RosUkrEnergo. CEC Vice-Chair Zhanna Usenko-Chorna remarked that “the large debt was totally According to the January 2006 agree- told journalists that “there are no legal President OKs coalition unexpected.” ment signed between Ukraine and grounds” to doubt the official election An astonished Ukrainian Vice Prime KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko Russia, RosUkrEnergo – at Gazprom’s results. Meanwhile, Socialist Party law- Minister Mykola Azarov told reporters in said in a televised address on October 17 insistence – was brought in to be the maker Yevhen Filindash told Interfax- Kyiv, “It can’t be true that the debt is as that he supports the intentions of the Ukraine that some 3.5 million Ukrainians high as [Gazprom] says it is.” And Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and the Our residing abroad were included on the Ukrainian Vice Minister of Energy Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense bloc to voter lists, significantly influencing the Vadym Chuprun did his best to describe create a parliamentary coalition and form final vote count.