The Ukrainian Weekly 2012, No.8
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: l Calls grow louder for sanctions on Ukraine – page 3 l Youngstown parish celebrates centennial – page 5 l “Ukrainian Kilims: Journey of a Heritage” – page 11 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXX No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012 $1/$2 in Ukraine U.S. assistant secretary of state Want to buy a national deputy? visits Kyiv to continue dialogue It’ll cost you about $500,000 Promotion of democracy on meetings’ agenda by Zenon Zawada Special to The Ukrainian Weekly KYIV – U.S. Assistant Secretary for KYIV – How much money can an opposi- European and Eurasian Affairs Philip H. tion parliamentary deputy make in exchange Gordon was in Kyiv on February 6 to meet for selling out to the ruling Party of Regions with senior Ukrainian officials, representa- of Ukraine? About half a million dollars, tives of civil society and opposition leaders, discovered Roman Zabzaliuk, a national and continue the United States’ strategic deputy of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. dialogue on issues of mutual concern. The career soldier and Afghan War vet- Among those issues are: Ukraine’s inte- eran conducted his latest sting operation in gration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, cooperation on non-proliferation, energy Ukraine’s Parliament. In a virtual imitation security, economic reform, and advance- of Luca Brasi from the classic movie “The ment of democracy and human rights. The Godfather,” Mr. Zabzaliuk played the role of assistant secretary also met with civil soci- a deputy eager for cash and ready to sell ety leaders, and he addressed employees of out his partners. the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Unlike Brasi, Mr. Zabzaliuk succeeded; he “The basic message,” Assistant Secretary claims he got the information he needed. Gordon told the press, “was that we want to His weapon was a hidden recorder that recorded his negotiations with Ihor see increasingly strong U.S.-Ukraine rela- UNIAN/Aleksandr Sinitsa tions. We think Ukraine has enormous Rybakov, a deputy who abandoned the potential and we want to see it continue U.S. Embassy Kyiv Tymoshenko Bloc to form the parliamenta- Roman Zabzaliuk Assistant Secretary of State Philip ry faction called Reforms for the Future’s down the course towards Euro-Atlantic inte- Regions,” Mr. Rybakov allegedly says. “They Gordon speaks in Kyiv. Sake, which collected opposition refugees. gration, stability, prosperity and democracy.” pay money and you work, Roma [a nickname Paid refugees, as it turns out. During a press roundtable, Mr. Gordon And we expressed concerns about the per- for Roman]. And I am responsible for you.” The secret recordings hit the Ukrayinska noted that he had met with the head of the ception of selective prosecutions, most In addition to the $500,000 down pay- Pravda website on February 8, igniting the Presidential Administration, Serhiy notably in the case of former Prime ment, deputies under Mr. Rybakov’s guid- biggest such scandal since the Melnychenko Lyovochkin, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov Minister [Yulia] Tymoshenko,” Mr. Gordon ance purportedly earn $20,000 a month. tapes of 2000 that marked the beginning of and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo stated. “What Secretary Clinton said to the Given that Mr. Rybakov has had about 19 the end for the presidency of Leonid Klimkin. He explained that he was in president is that this perception interferes deputies for about a year under his tutelage, Kuchma. The biggest revelation was that Mr. Ukraine “to follow up on the meeting that with the full development of the relation- expenses would have added up to more than Rybakov’s bribes allegedly got the stamp of Secretary [of State Hillary Rodham] Clinton ship we would like to have with Ukraine.” $14 million. The funds are somehow gained approval from President Viktor Yanukovych. had with President [Viktor] Yanukovych the He continued: “It’s not for us on the out- from state budgets, Mr. Zabzaliuk alleged. “The president personally requested other day at the Munich Security side to prescribe how Ukraine’s judicial “One way or another, the chain leads to from me at a meeting, ‘Give me more, the Conference,” and he provided an overview of system works, but the perception of selec- the pockets of simple citizens and taxpayers,” maximum’,” Mr. Rybakov is allegedly heard the discussions, which he said were aimed at tive prosecution is an unfortunate one and Mr. Zabzaliuk said at the February 8 press to say on the recording, referring to more “strengthen[ing] our partnership with it stands in the way of full development of conference at which he revealed the record- deputies joining his faction of opposition Ukraine in a number of areas, from the econ- our relations, as between the Ukraine and ings. “Our oligarchs are thrifty. They don’t refugees. The recordings also confirm the omy to energy to security to democracy.” the European Union.” simply give away what they ‘honestly stole.’ ” “We stressed the importance of free and Party of Regions’ role. fair and transparent elections next October. (Continued on page 9) “It’s their request, from the Party of (Continued on page 18) Tymoshenko’s daughter meets with Ukrainian community representatives Ukrainian National Information Service uation in Ukraine. The nearly one-hour meeting organized WASHINGTON – Eugenia Tymoshenko, by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of the daughter of imprisoned former Prime America (UCCA) with Ms. Tymoshenko was Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, was in held on Friday morning, February 3. The Washington in early February to testify community representatives present includ- before a subcommittee of the Senate ed: Michael Sawkiw Jr., director of the Foreign Relations Committee about the sta- Ukrainian National Information Service tus of her mother’s imprisonment. (UNIS), the UCCA’s public affairs bureau in While in the nation’s capital, the ex- Washington; Andrew Bihun, president of prime minister’s daughter also participated The Washington Group; the Rev. Vasyl in the National Prayer Breakfast (attended Kharuk, pastor of the Ukrainian Catholic by President Barack Obama) and met with National Shrine of the Holy Family; and various congressional and administration Oksana Yakovenko from the U.S.-Ukraine officials. Foundation. UNIS Representatives of Ukrainian communi- Ms. Tymoshenko briefed the community Meeting in Washington (from left) are: Serhii Vlasenko, Yulia Tymoshenko’s attor- ney; Michael Sawkiw Jr., director, Ukrainian National Information Service; Eugenia ty organizations in Washington had an representatives about the status of her Tymoshenko; Peter Borisow; former Rep. Jim Slattery; the Rev. Vasyl Kharuk, pas- opportunity to meet with Ms. Tymoshenko tor, Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family; and Hryhoriy Nemyria, and her advisors to discuss the current sit- (Continued on page 4) Yulia Tymoshenko’s foreign policy adviser. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2012 No. 8 ANALYSIS Ukraine struggles to find Afghan veterans snub Yanukovych tence him to four and a half years in prison with confiscation of property, ban him from KYIV – Ukrainian veterans of the 10-year holding political office for three years and alternatives to Russian gas Soviet Afghan war, angry about proposed deprive him of the rank of a state employ- cuts to payouts, snubbed President Viktor on January 30 that Azerbaijan decided to ee. This was announced on February 14 by by Pavel Korduban Yanukovych on February 15, turning their punish Ukraine for selling arms to Procurator Dmytro Loban during consider- Eurasia Daily Monitor backs on him at a ceremony to mark the Armenia. According to the newspaper’s ation of the criminal case against the for- 23rd anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal After Moscow’s refusal to cut gas prices source in Ukraine, last summer and fall mer head of the Internal Affairs Ministry, from Afghanistan. Veterans of the 1979- for this year, Kyiv has threatened to cut its Baku warned Kyiv against continuing to which is continuing at the Pecherskyi dis- 1989 Soviet military campaign are furious imports from Russia between 27 billion sell arms to Armenia, but these warnings trict court of Kyiv. Mr. Loban said that the about plans to cut pensions and subsidies as cubic meters (bcm) of gas and 33 bcm from were ignored. guilt of the defendants, Mr. Lutsenko and part of austerity measures aimed at reduc- the 40 bcm imported by the national oil Ukraine still has untapped resources in his former driver, Leonid Prystupliuk, has ing Ukraine’s public deficit to secure further and gas company Naftohaz Ukrainy last the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov basin. been proven by pre-trial and trial inquiries. International Monetary Fund financing. year (Interfax, January 11; Kommersant- Naftohaz’s subsidiary, Chornomornaftohaz, The prosecution considers as extenuating When Mr. Yanukovych arrived at a Kyiv Ukraine, January 24). has been working in the Black Sea since the circumstances the positive characteristics memorial site to lay a wreath to the war Last fall, Ukraine’s energy minister, Yurii early 1980s, but the government preferred and public services of the former minister, dead, a group of veterans, waiting in line, Boiko, threatened to cut Russian gas to buy relatively cheap Russian gas rather as well as the fact that he has an under-age imports to as little as between 7 bcm and than invest in deep-sea drilling. Last year, turned their backs to him on the parade son. Prosecutors propose sentencing Mr. 12 bcm per annum within five years. Naftohaz finally bought two deep-drilling command “About face!” They turned back Prystupliuk to three years’ imprisonment Kyiv has been seeking alternatives to rigs for Chornomornaftohaz. The first one again to face the monument after Mr. with probation and a fine of 693,000 hrv. Russian gas.