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Political Conflict in Ukraine Shifts to Constitutional Court and Rada Nor INSIDE: • Euro Cup 2012 to be played in Ukraine and Poland — page 5. • Ukrainian American speedskater Sophia Milan — page 12. • Ukrainian Society established at Boston College — page 13. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXV No. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2007 $1/$2 in Ukraine Ukraine’s top pro-Western parties Political conflict in Ukraine shifts prepare for parliamentary elections to Constitutional Court and Rada by Zenon Zawada Union (OUPU) emerged and set the Kyiv Press Bureau requirement that any members of the defunct bloc’s other parties can only join KYIV – Ukraine’s top pro-Western its electoral list independently. political forces declared they are All four blocs excluded nationalists from approaching the pre-term parliamentary joining, particularly the Congress of elections as four separate blocs, leaving Ukrainian Nationalists (CUN) led by open the possibility they may merge as Oleksii Ivchenko, the Ukrainian National election day draws nearer. Assembly-Ukrainian National Self-Defense Yurii Lutsenko’s People’s Self-Defense (UNA-UNSO) and the All-Ukrainian Union Bloc revealed its parliamentary lists on Svoboda led by Oleh Tiahnybok. April 15, followed the next day by the The OUPU refused to admit Mr. Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, the Our Ukraine Ivchenko to its party list even on an inde- People’s Union and the Rukh-Ukrainian pendent basis, largely because of his tar- Right Wing led by Borys Tarasyuk. nished reputation following his scandalous Experts and pollsters expect the tenure as chair of Naftohaz, the govern- Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine ment’s natural gas distribution company. People’s Union will earn enough votes to Mr. Ivchenko was the only leader of qualify for Parliament, though the other an Our Ukraine party interested in join- two blocs are expected to pose strong com- ing OUPU independently, as the others petition to surpass the 3 percent barrier. refused to give up their political brands. “Although currently the Right Wing very Among the others, Anatolii Matviyenko often doesn’t reach 3 percent according to merged the Sobor Ukrainian Republican various sociological research, it has Party into Rukh-Ukrainian Right Wing chances,” said Andrii Yermolayev, president along with Mr. Tarasyuk and the People’s of the Kyiv-based Sofia Center for Social Rukh of Ukraine. UNIAN/Oleksander Kosariev Research, which is exclusively financed by Volodymyr Stretovych merged the Constitutional Court Judge Suzanna Stanik grips the court’s metal gate as she Ukrainian corporations. “Everything Christian-Democratic Union with Yurii tries to enter amidst a chaotic crowd of protesters and supporters on April 18. depends on the campaign’s capability and Lutsenko’s People’s Self-Defense. deliberation in not getting rolled up in the Once again, political observers warned by Zenon Zawada A circus-like scene erupted in front of latest populist positions, which would mud- that Ukraine’s divided pro-Western Kyiv Press Bureau the Constitutional Court on April 18 as dle the bloc with other brands.” forces would result in the less popular opposition deputies sparked massive KYIV – As Ukraine’s two warring The most significant development in blocs failing to qualify, thereby chipping brawling as they tried to physically block leaders pleaded their cases before their Ukraine’s political realignment was the away votes that could otherwise bolster Suzanna Stanik from entering. The judge official implosion of the Our Ukraine bloc, the influence of the Tymoshenko Bloc concerned European neighbors, their is suspected by the Security Service of triggered by Anatolii Kinakh’s abandon- and the OUPU in a future Parliament. rank and file back home fought on two Ukraine (SBU) of accepting $12 million ment in late March, who took with him the “For the pro-presidential camp, their critical battlefronts where the nation’s in bribes. Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. future will be decided – the Parliament Later that evening, the Yulia In its place, the Our Ukraine People’s (Continued on page 4) and the Constitutional Court. Tymoshenko and Our Ukraine blocs announced their factions would be relin- quishing their deputies’ mandates, enough to ruin the coalition govern- Nor’easter’s flooding hits Ukrainian Orthodox center ment’s needed two-thirds quorum in an SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N.J. – This attempt to further ensure the Verkhovna town in central New Jersey’s Somerset Rada’s dismissal. County was among the hardest hit during The opposition’s fierce attacks on the the Nor’easter that struck the area on Constitutional Court, and the sudden Sunday and Monday, April 15-16, dump- move to dissolve their parliamentary fac- ing more than five inches of rain. Among tions, revealed their fear the court would those affected by flooding was the rule the president’s April 2 decree to dis- Metropolia Center of the Ukrainian miss Parliament was unconstitutional Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. calling into question pre-term elections, For many parishioners of St. Andrew observers said. Memorial Church at the Metropolia “This is all being done to ensure the Center, as well as members of the UOC- court’s decision is viewed as illegiti- U.S.A., April 15, the second Sunday of mate,” said Pavlo Bulhak, a political sci- Pascha, St. Thomas Sunday, was a sober entist at the Kyiv-based Stratehema reminder of a major flood that occurred Center for Practical Politics, which is eight years ago. funded by Western and Russian grants. On the night of Saturday, April 14, the Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych powerful rain storm that swept across the said the opposition was blatantly pressur- entire East Coast of the U.S. arrived in ing the Constitutional Court, while the area of the UOC-U.S.A. administra- Verkhovna Rada Chairman Oleksander tive and spiritual center. Thousands of Moroz threatened criminal prosecutions faithful annually visit the center for the against those engaged in the blockade St. Thomas Sunday (Providna Nedilia) (national deputies have prosecutorial weekend pilgrimage each year – the vast immunity). One of the staff homes at the Metropolia Center of the Ukrainian Orthodox majority on Sunday. Acting Chair of the Security Service Church of the U.S.A. in South Bound Brook, N.J., as it looked during the flooding on Monday, April 16. (Continued on page 10) (Continued on page 5) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2007 No. 16 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Can the Constitutional Court Constitutional Court opens hearings long time.” Judge Stanik on April 16 denied the SBU accusations, Interfax of Ukraine be unbiased? KYIV – The Constitutional Court of reported the same day. She described Ukraine on April 17 opened hearings on a reports on property transfers to her rela- by Pavel Korduban man wanted to resign immediately after motion submitted by 53 Ukrainian law- tive as “a plot to disrupt a meeting of the Eurasia Daily Monitor Mr. Yushchenko’s decree. makers questioning the constitutionality of Constitutional Court.” Judge Stanik also April 17 Chief Justice Ivan Dombrovskyi tried to the presidential decree dissolving the accused Mr. Nalyvaichenko of violating in resign on April 4, but the CC voted to Verkhovna Rada, Interfax reported. All the his statement the Ukrainian Constitution On April 17 Ukraine’s Constitutional reject his request. Mr. Dombrovsky pro- Constitutional Court’s 18 judges attended Court (CC) began considering an appeal and the Convention on the Protection of vided no public explanation for his deci- the session. Ukrainian legislation requires Human Rights and Fundamental by a group of pro-government parliamen- sion, but the media reported that he took the presence of at least 12 judges to con- tarians regarding President Viktor Freedoms. “The Ukrainian president has sick leave the same day his request was vene a court session and does not set a already drawn up, or perhaps, signed his Yushchenko’s April 2 decree on the dis- denied. A week later Mr. Yushchenko’s deadline for issuing a verdict. Ivan solution of Parliament. The CC should decree on my resignation,” Judge Stanik Our Ukraine party (OU) issued a statement Dombrovskyi, the Constitutional Court said in a statement. (RFE/RL Newsline) decide not only on the question of early saying that Mr. Yanukovych had threat- chairman, warned that the court will not parliamentary elections, but also, indi- ened the chief justice in a private conversa- rule immediately. “Everybody awaits the Yushchenko seeks corruption probe rectly, the fate of Mr. Yushchenko as tion. OU did not specify the nature of Mr. Constitutional Court’s constructive work. KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko president. Yanukovych’s alleged threats. However, given the number of claims and has asked Constitutional Court Chairman If the CC’s verdict is not in his favor, President Yushchenko met with CC questions to the court, it will not be able to Dombrovskyi to investigate the possible it will mean that the president violated judges in late March – several days swiftly rule on the case,” Mr. involvement of Judge Suzanna Stanik in the Constitution. Prime Minister Viktor before his decree to dissolve Parliament Dombrovskyi said. At the beginning of the corruption, Interfax reported on April 17. Yanukovych has indicated that his Party – which prompted the PRU to accuse him sitting, Judge Viktor Shyshkin made an The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) of the Regions (PRU) – which controls of trying to exert pressure on the judges. application to remove Verkhovna Rada obtained evidence that an unemployed the largest caucus in Parliament – will On April 9 the PRU-dominated representatives from participating in the close relative of the judge acquired prop- push for President Yushchenko’s Parliament, whose legitimacy Mr. sitting. He argued that, after the presiden- erty worth $12 million last year.
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