www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• “1996: THE YEAR IN REVIEW” — beginning on page 3. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXIV HE No.KRAINIAN 52 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1996 EEKLY$1.25/$2 in Ukraine T U Kuchma appointsW new chief of staff, The state of Ukraine’s military a centrist leader and mayor of Kharkiv takes center stage in official circles by Marta Kolomayets lytical support to the president. by Marta Kolomayets brass gathered at the Collegium, the Special to The Ukrainian Weekly On December 18, 316 deputies appealed Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Defense Ministry’s headquarters: “I have to President Kuchma to cancel his decrees listened to explanations regarding the KYIV — Yevhen Kushnariov, mayor of on powers of the presidential administra- KYIV — Fifty-seven percent of chaos in Ukraine’s armed forces today, Kharkiv, was appointed President Leonid tion and restructuring the Cabinet, and Ukraine’s military officers do not think and I have stretched my limits to accept Kuchma’s chief of staff on December 20, making the interior, foreign, defense and the nation’s armed forces are capable of what I have been told. But, when we start just 10 days after the Ukrainian leader information ministers directly subordinate defending its territorial integrity and talking about discipline, I will not accept sacked his longtime aide and administration to the president on issues related to the independence. any excuses, nor do I want to hear any chairman Dmytro Tabachnyk. president’s constitutional powers. Only 30 percent of the 1,000 officers excuses. Discipline is a sacred thing in Mr. Kushnariov, 45, who heads the As a number of deputies have pointed surveyed this month by the Center for the army. And what kind of discipline do Association of Ukrainian Cities, supported out, according to the Constitution, the Social Monitoring said Ukraine’s armed we see in the army today?” President Kuchma’s presidential bid in prime minister is the head of the executive forces are qualified to defend their coun- He offered the following examples: 1994, when he was one the leaders of branch and not the president, therefore, this try’s independence, while 13 percent • a very high death rate in the army, Nova Ukraina, the centrist organization decree is not constitutional. found this question difficult to answer. often the result of careless accidents; whose roots are in Kharkiv. He is also an President Kuchma has rejected this Also, 69 percent of the officers — • countless incidents of unruly, even active member of the National Democratic argument, stating that “all bodies of the from all regions of Ukraine — said they barbaric behavior among the servicemen; Party, and President Kuchma acknowl- executive branch have to fulfill the orders were unhappy with their military service; • a growing crime wave in the edged that Mr. Kushnariov’s party affilia- of the presidential administration.” only 24 percent were satisfied; while 7 armed forces; as many as 3,000 crimes tion “will be profitable for the president While rumors continue to fly regarding percent did not express an opinion. were committed in the Ukrainian army and all the people.” Political observers Mr. Tabachnyk’s ouster, President Kuchma This state of affairs in Ukraine’s over the first 10 months of 1996. note that if President Kuchma is to win his recently told reporters – in an obvious dig armed forces, which marked the fifth “Where is your officers’ honor?” bid for a second term he must have the at his former aide – that he views the role of anniversary of their creation on President Kuchma questioned the support of various political parties. a presidential chief of staff as that of an December 6, does not bode well for the leaders of Ukraine’s armed forces, During his first meeting with the press organizer, “not a personality and much less Ministry of Defense, and it has become a “Where is your understanding that you on December 25, Mr. Kushnariov made it of a politician.” hot topic of discussion over the last few — from lieutenant to colonel general, very clear that he has no intention “to fill weeks among high-level officials. from commander of a unit to the min- the niche Mr. Tabachnyk occupied.” He Speaking to the Defense Ministry’s ister of defense, are to be, if not par- told reporters he is not one to look for con- Collegium, the council of generals and ents to these boys, then at least men- flicts, and hopes to cooperate with all Trial of accused high-ranking officers, on December 13, tors to your subordinates.” branches of power. An ethnic Russian, Mr. President Leonid Kuchma severely criti- “People entrust to you what is dearest Kushnariov is a building engineer by pro- cized the abysmal situation among the to them — their children,” he said. “And fession. In the 1980s he worked as a deputy baby sellers begins ranks of today’s military, citing lack of your responsibility is to return them to chairman of the Kharkiv City Communist by Marta Kolomayets discipline and disrespect for officers as their parents, return them alive, and not Party organization, but since the early Special to The Ukrainian Weekly the main problems among the ranks of 1990s he has been considered a centrist- crippled physically, spiritually and KYIV — The long-awaited trial of doc- enlisted soldiers. morally.” The president also noted that democrat, working on issues of local self- He said he would hold senior armed government and serving as a national tors and bureaucrats from Lviv accused of he holds the leaders of the armed forces selling babies for adoption to foreigners in forces commanders personally responsi- in Ukraine responsible for the fact that deputy from Kharkiv in the previous ble for the over-all state of the military, Parliament convocation (1990-1994). He 1992-1994 finally began in the Ivano- many soldiers die in the army because of Frankvisk Oblast Court on December 25. adding that the national program for the careless accidents or suicide. has served as Kharkiv’s mayor since 1990. development of the armed forces should He noted that he has already met with But, as soon as it got under way, the He also said he would instruct the trial was delayed until January 13, as one be approved as soon as possible. Procurator General’s Office to immedi- Parliament Chairman Oleksander Moroz The program has become a top priori- and they discussed various issues they of the defendants, Lviv Deputy Gov. ately begin investigating various reports Yurii Zyma asked for time to have his ty for the National Security and Defense regarding arms smuggling, and he under- can tackle together. Council headed by Volodymyr Horbulin, This is precisely the kind of approach lawyer review 26 volumes of informa- lined that no one would go unpunished if tion gathered by the other defendants. which includes among its members found guilty of such crimes. that will help President Kuchma work with Despite the fact that all four men are on Minister of Defense Gen. Oleksander According to the Procurator the Verkhovna Rada. He recently infuriat- trial, only three have been in jail for almost Kuzmuk. It has met a few times this year General’s Office, over 13,000 firearms ed the national deputies with a December two years now, as prosecutors have gath- to develop a program for Ukraine’s have been sold in Ukraine — stolen 17 decree “On the Ukrainian Presidential ered evidence to present a criminal case armed forces, and is scheduled to meet from military bases and arsenals. Administration,” which grants the adminis- against them. The three are: Dr. Volodymyr again on in late December to finalize a President Kuchma noted that not only tration authority not outlined in the new Doroshenko, the head of Lviv’s perinatal revised draft of a 10-year program to weapons are being sold, but also techni- Constitution. It states that “the orders given center; Dr. Bohdan Fedak, chairman of build and develop the armed forces. cal equipment, spare parts and ammuni- by the presidential chief of staff, the first Lviv’s Oblast Hospital; and Zinovii Ursul, The program intends to drastically tion. He also questioned why none of the aide, the first deputy chief and other deputy the former chairman of the Halytskyi raion scale down and modernize the mili- 191 motorized and tank battalions are chiefs of the administration are within the in Lviv. tary. According to Defense Minister ready to fulfill combat tasks, but insisted limits defined by the president, and con- Liudmyla Ornst, deputy head doctor of Kuzmuk, it takes into account that all repairs and renovations on this cerning the matters within their compe- the Kamianka-Buzka hospital, was freed Ukraine’s current economic situation, equipment be done only in Ukraine. tence are mandatory for executive branch as well as the role the military should Turning to global matters, the agencies and executive officials.” in August, during a general amnesty play both domestically and globally. Ukrainian leader said Ukraine’s Defense The decree also notes that the presiden- marking Ukraine’s fifth anniversary of President Kuchma pledged that Ministry should take a leading role in tial administration bears responsibility for independence. She has agreed to testify Ukraine’s defense budget would not be relations between the United States and the president’s interaction with Parliament, against Drs. Doroshenko and Fedak. cut; however, he did not disclose any NATO, taking more practical moves other organs of power and local govern- More than 100 witnesses are scheduled to figures, as the 1997 state budget contin- rather than just issuing declarations of ments.