www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Part I of “2010: The Year in Review” – pages 5-35 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXIX No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2011 $1/$2 in Ukraine EU official cautions Ukraine Prosecutors say destruction over prosecution of ex-PM of Stalin statue was terrorist act specifics of individual cases, we have raised with the Ukrainian government our concern that while corruption should be pursued, prosecution should not be selective or politically motivated. In that context, we also raised our concern that when, with few exceptions, the only senior officials being targeted are connected with the previous government, it gives the appearance of selective prose- cution of political opponents.” The Financial Times report- ed that Mr. Fuele was asked during a press conference in Kyiv if the EU shared the con- cerns expressed by the U.S. He responded: “I certainly share UNIAN Official Website of Ukraine’s President the impression” and concerns Militia in Zaporizhia on January 1 examine the remnants of the statue of Joseph President Viktor Yanukovych welcomes that were raised by the US and Stalin that was destroyed by an explosion on December 31, 2010. All that remains European Union Enlargement Commissioner “raised this issue in discus- of the monument is its pedestal. Stefan Fuele to Kyiv on January 11. sions, including with Ukraine’s president.” KYIV – The Procurator’s Office of the lic safety and intimidating the public. RFE/RL Critics accuse Ukraine’s pro-Moscow Zaporizhia Oblast on January 5 said the Therefore, the criminal case opened under president of suppressing the rights of the KYIV – A senior European Union offi- explosion that destroyed a monument to the Criminal Code’s article on the deliberate free press and human rights groups, and cial has warned Ukraine not to use crimi- Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, which stood destruction of property was reclassified as of using allies in the judiciary to build a nal law for political ends, a seeming ref- near the regional headquarters of the terrorism. erence to the prosecution of former Prime case against Ms. Tymoshenko. Communist Party, was a terrorist act. The investigation department of the Apart from the charges against the for- Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. According to the conclusions announced regional office of the Security Service of mer prime minister, several members of Ms. Tymoshenko has been charged by the Zaporizhia Procurator’s Office, the Ukraine (SBU) was ordered to conduct a her former Cabinet of Ministers have with abuse of office during her time as explosion on December 31, 2010, created a pre-trial investigation. been detained. prime minister in 2007-2010. She has danger to human life and health, caused Communist Party Chairman Petro Ukraine and the EU are negotiating an been questioned by prosecutors on sever- considerable damage to property, and was Symonenko had accused “neo-nationalists” of a “vile crime” in Zaporizhia, and al occasions in December 2010, including (Continued on page 3) committed with the goal of threatening pub- on December 30, when the interrogation demanded that the authorities “in the stron- took more than 10 hours. gest way stop the terrorism of nationalist The opposition leader emerged from gangs.” that session saying she thought she could The monument was blown up on not receive a fair hearing and adding that Queensland Ukrainian community December 31, shortly before midnight. The Ukraine’s judicial system does not work leader of Zaporizhia’s Communist Party “in the interests of the country and citi- affected by flooding in Australia called it an “act of terrorism,” and assessed zens.” the damage at 270,000 hrv. Ms. Tymoshenko was due to appear ESSENDON, Australia – The “Our prayers and thoughts are with Reuters reported that prosecutors said before the procurator general again on Australian Federation of Ukrainian the Queensland community, which is “The First of January Movement” claimed January 13 to hear the latest develop- Organizations (AFUO), the umbrella undergoing this horrific unforeseen responsibility for the blast, saying it was ments in the case against her. body for 24 Ukrainian organizations in event. Many have lost homes, property intended to mark the 102nd anniversary of “In the 21st century, democratic Australia, reported on January 11 that the and memories as floods tear through dif- Bandera’s birth, and threatened to carry out authority cannot be sustained without an Ukrainian community in the state of ferent parts of the state,” an AFUO state- further attacks on various targets. independent judiciary and media. It is a Queensland is among those affected by ment noted. The organization extended Prior to that, police had detained two question of moral leadership,” EU the extensive flooding in eastern “sympathy to the families who have lost members of the Svoboda All-Ukrainian Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele Australia. loved ones in the current floods in Union’s Zaporizhia regional branch. Vitalii said, speaking after talks with President The flooding has been unfolding since Queensland.” Podlobnikov and Yurii Hudymenko denied Viktor Yanukovych in Kyiv on January late November, according to the The AFUO is based in Essendon, a involvement in the explosion. They were 11. “I would therefore like to recall the Associated Press. However, drenching suburb of Melbourne, in the Australian subsequently released. need to ensure that criminal law is not rains in recent days have caused people state of Victoria. It is a member-organi- According to a January 12 news story used for political ends and that the princi- to flee from Australia’s third largest city, zation of the Ukrainian World Congress published on radiosvoboda.org, 10 members ples of a fair, impartial and independent Brisbane, where waters reached the top (UWC). Its chairman is Stefan Romaniw, of patriotic organizations have been legal process are fully respected.” of traffic lights in some parts of the city. who also is secretary-general of the detained, many searches have been conduct- UWC. Previously, the U.S. government had The flash flood killed 12 people and 43 ed and several persons have vanished with- Contacted via e-mail by The voiced concern regarding the investiga- are missing as of January 12, according out a trace. Prosecutors in Kyiv and Ukrainian Weekly, Mr. Romaniw com- tions of Ukrainian opposition politicians. to Queensland authorities. Some 200,000 Zaporizhia are not commenting on these A statement released on December 30, people in the state have been affected by reports. 2010, noted: “Although as a rule the U.S. the quickly rising floodwaters. (Continued on page 46) government does not comment on the (Continued on page 35) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2011 No. 3 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Belarusian regime resolutely dashes Yanukovych’s Christmas greetings from regions regarding the complicity of the current authorities in attacks on UOC-KP KYIV – Ukrainian President Viktor churches and the ban on religious services hopes for democratic liberalization Yanukovych on January 6 addressed the by this confession on the territories of ceme- by Orest Deychakiwsky, ed to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin: “It is not nation on Christmas Eve, according to the teries and state and utility institutions. Ronald McNamara and Josh Shapiro the votes that count, but who counts the Julian calendar. He said: “…The Lord (Interfax-Ukraine) votes.” bestowed his grace upon us to live and see Hints of any democratic progress in The vote count in Novopolotsk was this year and this Holy Night, when all the U.S., EU review ties with Belarus Belarus came to a screeching halt on Orthodox Christians peer with hope into the decidedly non-transparent as both interna- WASHINGTON – The United States and December 19, 2010, in the aftermath of tional and domestic observers (virtually all sky, where the Christmas Star is rising. The the country’s most recent electoral exer- Star, which signifies the birth of the Son of the European Union say they are reviewing of the latter appeared to be so-called their relations with Belarus after police in cise – the latest in a long line of funda- GONGOs, or government organized non- God. I am happy that this very moment we, mentally flawed elections. the entire Orthodox world, are praising the Minsk cracked down on mass opposition governmental organizations) were kept far protests against the weekend vote that The brutal and bloody election-night enough away from the table on which the Son of God and looking with faith and love crackdown against political opposition at the prospect of the new year...” He repeat- President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says he votes were being counted, making it won in a landslide. In their joint statement supporters, including mass arrests of dem- impossible to see how the ballots were ed the reference to the “Orthodox world” onstrators, as well as candidates, who during a Christmas visit to the Pochayiv released on December 23, 2010, U.S. marked. When queried several times by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU challenged the 16-year rule of Alyaksandr commission staff as to the reason, the pre- Lavra (monastery), which is under the aegis High Representative Catherine Ashton also Lukashenka, was unprecedented. Even the cinct chairman politely insisted that it was of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – called on Belarusian authorities to release prospects of inducements from the a decision that he and other members of Moscow Patriarchate. The president the more than 600 demonstrators arrested European Union and others failed to the election commission had made on the neglected to extend Christmas wishes to during the December 19 protest. They say restrain a regime bent on maintaining pretext of preventing observers from faithful of other confessions, as well as to that “the elections and their aftermath repre- power.