Party of Regions Reported to Be Close to Forming Majority Coalition In

INSIDE:• Okean Elzy’s lead singer on Ukrainian books — page 3. • Photo report: the UNA’s 36th Convention — pages 10-11. • Plast’s “Sviato Yuriya” and SUM’s “Zlet” — centerfold. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIV HE KRAINIANNo. 25 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2006 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine SoccerT mania gripsU the country W Party of Regions reported to be close as Ukraineby Zenon Zawada debuts at World Cup to formingby Zenon Zawada majority tcoalitionion of the Ukrainian Insurgentin Rada Army. Kyiv Press Bureau Kyiv Press Bureau The Christian-Democratic Union Party led by Volodymyr Stretovych said it will KYIV – For their vacations, Ukrainians KYIV – The Party of the Regions may be enter a coalition with the Party of the typically flock to Turkey, Egypt or Crimea. close to forming a parliamentary coalition Regions only if the coalition agreement Volodymyr Medvedev, 29, decided to with certain members of the Our Ukraine explicitly supports membership in the take two weeks off to watch the World bloc or the Socialist Party of Ukraine after European Union and the North Atlantic Cup, in its entirety. “Even Korea-Togo” leader Viktor Yanukovych announced June Treaty Organization. he said. 15 that he has enough votes. Socialist Party leader Yosyp Vinskyi Soccer mania gripped Ukraine as mil- “We already have the signatures of a didn’t rule out the possibility that some lions stopped what they were doing the majority in agreement,” Mr. Yanukovych of his party’s deputies would join a coali- afternoon of June 14 to watch the debut said, adding that he expects an accord tion with the Party of the Regions, but of its national soccer team in the World will be signed by June 20. said the party’s leadership would sign no Cup. In the event of such a coalition, the such formal agreement. While the weather was hot and sunny Our Ukraine bloc could splinter because Mr. Yanukovych’s announcement in Leipzig, Germany, heavy downpours it’s unlikely that all six of its member came after National Deputy Roman drenched the streets of Kyiv just as the political parties will come to agreement Zvarych announced in the Verkhovna game commenced at 4 p.m. local time – with the Party of the Regions. Rada the morning of June 15 that the Our perhaps a dark omen of things to come. Business-oriented parties, such as the Ukraine bloc has begun formal talks with The rains failed to keep more than a Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs the Party of the Regions. hundred young fans from donning rain- led by Anatolii Kinakh and the Our Earlier in the week, Our Ukraine’s coats and crowding onto Independence Ukraine People’s Union led by Yurii leaders said they were quitting coalition Square to watch the historic game on the Zenon Zawada Yekhanurov, indicated they are willing to talks with the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and compromise on many issues. maidan’s large screen. National deputy Rynat Akhmetov of the Socialist Party of Ukraine after intense However, the People’s Rukh of “The rain doesn’t mean anything,” the Party of the Regions wore his lobbying by Oleksander Moroz for the Ukraine led by Borys Tarasyuk and the said Liudmyla Zakaluzhna, 16, who Ukraine soccer scarf to the Verkhovna Verkhovna Rada chairman’s position. Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists led draped a Ukrainian flag around her Rada on June 14, the day of Ukraine's “In relation to the Socialist Party’s by Oleksii Ivchenko are unlikely to cede shoulders. “The atmosphere is warm.” first-ever World Cup match. ultimatums regarding the Verkhovna She and her classmates were visiting on ideological issues such as official sta- tus for the Russian language and recogni- (Continued on page 21) Kyiv from their hometown of Peremyshl with carts and began peddling their blue- (Przemysl), Poland. It was a thrill to and-yellow souvenirs. witness Ukraine’s debut in the capital “Scarves, hats, flags, horns!” they city, she said. called into the crowd, then providing a As the students watched the match, two older women pulled up next to them (Continued on page 9) Yushchenko aide visiting Washington was optimistic about Orange coalition Ukrainian-language publishers hold by Yaro Bihun Mr. Vasiunyk was visiting Washington Special to The Ukrainian Weekly for talks with U.S. officials, members of Congress and the International Republican first Children’s Book Fair in Kyiv WASHINGTON – Less than a week Institute about implementing a U.S.-fund- before the Orange Revolution coalition ed reorganization and management reform by Zenon Zawada necessary in which a publisher isn’t talks were apparently falling apart in Kyiv, program for the Ukrainian government. Kyiv Press Bureau struggling to realize his goals,” he said. one of President Viktor Yushchenko’s top He said that President Yushchenko The Ukrainian government doesn’t aides visiting Washington was expressing was taking an active part in the negotiat- KYIV – More than 60 Ukrainian-lan- track the precise number of Ukrainian- optimism about the prospect of the presi- ing process and that he has stressed that guage publishers held the first Kyiv language books, or children books, on dent’s Our Ukraine party, the Yulia building a workable coalition did not Children’s Book Fair at the Ukrainian the market, said Oleksandra Koval, presi- Tymoshenko bloc and the Socialist Party depend solely on getting agreement on Home in European Square between May dent of the Publishers Forum, a citizens’ forming Ukraine’s next government. who would occupy which government 31 and June 3. group that promotes Ukrainian-language Briefing representatives of the position. The president insisted that Such initiatives, sponsored by the books and literature. Ukrainian American community at the achieving a unified political platform was Publishers Forum, come at a critical time It doesn’t even track how many Ukrainian Embassy here on June 7, First paramount in the talks, he said. when eastern and southern Ukrainians are Ukrainian-language books it buys with Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential These policy talks, which Mr. rebelling against the Ukrainian language, government money, she added. Secretariat Ivan Vasiunyk said an Vasiunyk described as being very intense voting to make Russian a regional language About 70 Ukrainian publishers print announcement to that effect could be but positive, were in the final stage, but in three oblasts and five major cities. children books in the Ukrainian lan- expected within a week or two. with some issues still outstanding, among Most recently, on June 6, Donetsk cel- guage, Ms. Koval said. He left himself some verbal wiggle them, land ownership reform – a primary ebrated Russian Language Day during Attending the book fair, Vice Prime room, however. concern of the Socialists – and the “pace which the Party of the Regions donated Minister Viacheslav Kyrylenko said “As of now, almost all – almost all – and scope” of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic 10,000 Russian-language books to the Ukrainian-language publishers are con- participants of the coalition are convinced integration process. oblast’s libraries. tinuing to increase their production. that the new prime minister should be He said the president had also under- “We’re thinking about Ukraine’s However, they are in direct competition Yulia Tymoshenko,” he said, noting that scored the need to bring some order to a future – children’s books,” said Mykola with their Russian counterparts, who negotiations aimed at getting a compro- dysfunctional Constitutional Court, and Zhulynskyi, chair of the President’s continue to dominate the publishing mar- mise candidate for the chairmanship of radical reform of the judiciary, which, he National Council for Cultural and ket in Ukraine. the Verkhovna Rada – a position openly said, has shown evidence of subjectivity Spiritual Issues. Sales of Ukrainian books topped 54 sought by Socialist Party leader and corruption, as well as what he called “Everything has to be done to support million last year, compared with 70 million Oleksander Moroz – were continuing. “judicial bacchanalia” in many jurisdic- Ukrainian books in the Ukrainian lan- Russian books sold, Mr. Kyrylenko said. As it turned out, the impasse over the tions – a total lack of judicial responsibili- guage as having priority in the Ukrainian Rada chairmanship derailed the negotia- nation. For such books, conditions are (Continued on page 3) tions on June 12. (Continued on page 9) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2006 No. 25 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Gas-price increase for Ukraine NEWSBRIEFS Bush cancels visit to Ukraine Tymoshenko Bloc and the Socialist Party – that it feels “free in its actions” and is under could cause severe problems KYIV – George W. Bush has canceled “no obligations at present” regarding the his planned visit to Ukraine, Reuters two allies in the 2004 Orange Revolution, by Roman Kupchinsky owned energy sector, which is sliding reported on June 8 quoting a White House UNIAN reported on June 13, quoting RFE/RL Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova Report into greater debt. press release. The Ukrayinska Pravda web- Roman Zvarych of Our Ukraine. In a state- If Gazprom manages to get its way site, quoting Reuters, wrote that the cancel- Ukraine’s energy problems seem to be ment issued on June 12, Our Ukraine said and increase the price of gas, this might lation was due to the lack of a government it sees “no prospects of success” in contin- never-ending. Now, less than half a year mean an additional bill of $625 million in Ukraine and possible fears of angering after Gazprom briefly cut off gas sup- uing talks on forming a ruling coalition to $875 million from July through Russia.

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