The Ukrainian Weekly 2007, No.28
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Wrzesnewskyj speaks on Holodomor at OSCE PA — page 3. • Ukraine’s new envoy to the United Nations — page 4. • Soccer in Ukraine: all you need to know — pages 10-11. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXV No. 28 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 15, 2007 $1/$2 in Ukraine Shukhevych centennial marked in Ukraine OSCE Parliamentary Assembly by Illya M. Labunka Prominent Lviv residents, and concludes annual meeting in Kyiv Special to The Ukrainian Weekly guests like Mr. Oleskiw who traveled from Europe and North America, filled by Zenon Zawada LVIV – In the view of London resi- the Solomiya Krushelnytska Lviv Kyiv Press Bureau dent and World War II displaced per- Opera House for a commemorative son Vasyl Oleskiw, Ukrainian evening on June 29 that featured KYIV – Meeting in Insurgent Army (UPA) Commander-in- speeches and concert performances. Ukraine for the first time, the Chief Roman Shukhevych deserves to Amidst the crowd were UPA veter- 16th annual session of the be recognized as among the greatest ans, some of whom fought alongside Parliamentary Assembly of figures in Ukrainian history. Shukhevych, Ukrainian Orthodox and the Organization for Security “During one of the most difficult peri- Catholic clergy, the legendary com- and Cooperation in Europe ods in our history, he led the struggle for mander’s son, Yurii Shukhevych, All- (OSCE) called upon its liberation for such an extended period of Ukrainian Union of Veterans Chair member-states to sign and time, with support almost exclusively Ihor Yukhnovskyi, Ivan Franko immediately ratify the from the Ukrainian people,” said Mr. University of Lviv Rector Dr. Ivan European Convention Oleskiw, a former leader of the Vakarchuk and former Soviet political Against Human Trafficking. Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. prisoners Ihor and Iryna Kalynets. The Parliamentary “Virtually no assistance from the Ukrainian President Viktor Assembly (PA) Kyiv rest of the free world ever materialized Yushchenko was noticeably absent Declaration on July 9 delib- to supplement the armed struggle from the ceremony in what was widely erately avoided any position under the command of Roman believed to be a political move. statement on Ukraine’s tur- Shukhevych,” Mr. Oleskiw added. The day before, the Our Ukraine bulent politics, but called The 100th anniversary of the birth of People’s Union had formed a bloc with upon the Belarusian govern- Gen. Shukhevych, also known by his the People’s Self-Defense led by Yurii ment to change its election pseudonym Taras Chuprynka, was Lutsenko, a former Socialist who insisted legislation, allow OSCE marked by thousands of Lviv residents their political force avoid the issue of monitors into the country and visitors, with several commemorative UPA recognition in its parliamentary more often and adhere to events throughout the last days of June, campaign. democratic principles. punctuated by solemnity and admiration. Enlarged photographs portraying the Such criticism, coupled Zenon Zawada (For a biography of Roman with a resolution calling for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Shukhevych, see page 6.) (Continued on page 13) the Russian Federation to Holodomor survivor Eugenia Dallas, Sen. Benjamin cease using its energy sup- Cardin (D-Md.) and Rep. Michael McNulty (D-N.Y.) plies as levers of political visit the Famine-Genocide Memorial at St. Michael's pressure, drew a fierce reac- Square in Kyiv. tion that revealed the ever-widening rift democracy and parliamentarianism?” between the West and the governments of The OSCE monitors progress in imple- Vladimir Putin of Russia and Alyaksandr menting the previsions of the 1975 Lukashenka of Belarus. Helsinki Accords on human rights human- “I was strongly amazed by several itarian issues, trade and economic issues, European colleagues who advertised Mr. and political and security issues. [Viktor] Yushchenko as a fruit of democ- The summit was attended by 250 par- racy and parliamentarianism,” said liamentarians from 56 participating states. Sergey Glazev, a PA delegate from the Of 13 amendments proposed by the Russian Federation. “I have to ask: Can a Belarusian delegation to modify the reso- man who drives away Parliament, acts lution regarding their country, the PA approved four. unlawfully and blocks Constitutional Court meetings be considered a fruit of (Continued on page 16) Ukraine commemorates 10th anniversary of its Distinctive Partnership with NATO by Zenon Zawada ten to Ukraine’s intention to join NATO Kyiv Press Bureau and become a civilized European coun- try. Unfortunately, we don’t have a team KYIV – As Ukraine’s minister of for- eign affairs at the time, Henadii like that anymore.” Udovenko remembers the steep chal- Diplomats, politicians, policy analysts lenge his government faced when it and NATO advocates converged at the launched the initiative to establish part- Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a July 9 nership with the North Atlantic Treaty special meeting to commemorate the Organization (NATO) in the mid 1990s. 10th year anniversary of Ukraine signing They were a united and determined the Distinctive Partnership Charter with team then, he recalled, perhaps embold- the alliance. ened by the opposition. Illya Labunka Joining Mr. Udovenko in the com- Lviv Opera Theater facade decorated with banners depicting Roman “The United States, Germany, France memoration were members of his NATO Shukhevych and UPA soldiers. – everyone pushed us aside,” Mr. Udovenko said. “They didn’t want to lis- (Continued on page 19) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 15, 2007 No. 28 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Did Yushchenko borrow Kuchma’s ideas Yushchenko may nominate Yanukovych Solyom declassified documents on the gravesites of prisoners of war, foreigners KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko in interned in Ukraine, and slain soldiers. The for amending Constitution of Ukraine? an interview with the Inter TV channel said documents contain data on 18 gravesites he would nominate Viktor Yanukovych for and the names of 1,184 deceased. Mr. by Pavel Korduban Cabinet as a body whose responsibility is prime minister if the Party of the Regions Yushchenko described the signing of the Eurasia Daily Monitor collective.” The entire Cabinet has to be forms a coalition in the new Parliament. agreement as “another page in joint formed by the parliamentary majority, Mr. Yushchenko declined to name a person The Ukrainian Constitution will most [Ukrainian-Hungarian] history,” adding according to Mr. Yanukovych. whom he wanted to see as prime minister, certainly be changed after the pre-term that the next step should be the construc- On June 27 President Yushchenko saying that could be perceived as pressure parliamentary election scheduled for tion of a monument on the grave site of came up with his own proposals for a new upon the voters. Speaking in general terms, September 30, no matter who wins the 277 Hungarians in Brianka, in Ukraine’s Constitution. Addressing the nation on tel- the president said he wanted a person who vote. Both President Viktor Yushchenko Luhansk Oblast. (RFE/RL Newsline) evision, he called the 2004 reforms “inter- “deeply understands the national priorities and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych ference in the Constitution that has led this of Ukraine.” He added, “It should be a per- Fleet’s rent to be reviewed admit that the constitutional reform of 2004-2006, which increased the power of country into a blind alley” and suggested son who is not afraid to say he/she is a cutting Parliament’s term in office, reduc- patriot of Ukraine, is not afraid to speak in KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko the Verkhovna Rada at the expense of the said that the rent paid by the Russian president but stopped short of transform- ing the number of national deputies and Ukrainian.” He also noted that the prime establishing a bicameral legislature. minister should understand that Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet deployed in Ukraine’s ing Ukraine into a parliamentary repub- Crimea region will gradually be reviewed, lic, was imperfect. The proposed reme- These ideas are not new. Mr. policy “must be formed in Kyiv, not in Yushchenko’s predecessor, President other capital cities.” (Ukrinform) Interfax reported on July 10. “There is no dies, however, are very different. While doubt that the cost of the fleet’s presence Mr. Yanukovych wants to further weaken Leonid Kuchma, offered the same menu in the late 1990s in order to weaken the Ukraine committed to joining NATO will change, because it is connected with the presidency, Mr. Yushchenko plans to other factors influencing the final price,” restore presidential powers. Verkhovna Rada. A popular referendum of KYIV – The Ukraine-NATO April 2000, which many observers said Mr. Yushchenko said. He added that Mr. Yanukovych, speaking during a Commission on July 9 issued an ambassa- Ukrainian policy regarding the Russian visit to Luxembourg on June 18, said that was rigged, approved the introduction of a dorial-level statement confirming Ukraine’s bicameral Parliament, but the Rada rejected fleet’s presence in Crimea should be it should be possible to amend the desire for accession to NATO, Interfax addressed soon. “The goal of a specially Constitution in a new Parliament, so that this idea. So as not to repeat Mr. Kuchma’s reported. “Ukraine is to join NATO and this mistake, Mr. Yushchenko suggested cir- created commission is to start talks and “one branch of power should not inter- decision has no alternative, this is an draw up an action plan for this and next cumventing Parliament and introducing the fere with the work of another one.” unavoidable process,” Kostiantyn Morozov, year. This topic is delicate, but it should be amendments via referendum. Mr. Yanukovych’s coalition in the out- the head of Ukraine’s mission to NATO, settled,” the president said, without provid- Mr. Yushchenko’s main legal adviser, going Parliament backs a bill on constitu- told RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service.