INSIDE: • How Obama’s Russia “reset” is playing in Europe — page 3. • “Roots” trip by a Ukrainian American to Sanok region — page 10. • Photo report: National Flag Day, Independence Day— page 13. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXVII No. 37 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2009 $1/$2 in Ukraine Presidents sign road map Hryvnia’s plunge leads to demands for Ukrainian-Polish cooperation for top Ukrainian banker’s resignation by Zenon Zawada political football between the warring Kyiv Press Bureau poles of power in Ukrainian politics – President Viktor Yushchenko blamed KYIV – The Ukrainian hryvnia’s 8 Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, her percent plunge in value during the last national deputies accused the National five weeks has renewed public demands Bank of Ukraine of corruption, and presi- for the resignation of National Bank of dential front-runner Viktor Yanukovych Ukraine Chair Volodymyr Stelmakh, who blamed them all. is widely accused of allowing the central “Who’s to blame? Everyone’s to bank to become a den of corruption. blame – the president, and the prime Public frustration approached the boil- minister, and the National Bank chair, ing point when the currency’s value who are supposed to sit together, develop dropped to 9 hrv per $1 on September 4 a state approach to this issue, and provide on the interbank market – a 15 percent all measures to defend the national cur- decline. It has since rebounded to 8.50 rency,” the opposition leader said on hrv per $1 as of September 10, an 8 per- September 8. cent decline from August 6, when a U.S. Both Ms. Tymoshenko and Mr. dollar bought 7.87 hrv. Yanukovych have avoided directly call- Internal Affairs Minister Yurii ing for Mr. Stelmakh’s resignation, in Lutsenko, Ukraine’s top police official, contrast to their fiery rhetoric last winter called National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) when the hryvnia began its plunge. First Assistant Chair Anatolii Shapovalov The prime minister adopted a more Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko and First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko in for questioning on September 10, two reserved tone in dealing with Mr. with Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski and First Lady Maria Kaczynska during days after announcing that he has evi- Stelmakh, merely assuring voters in an the official welcoming ceremony in Warsaw. dence of criminal activity within the cen- early August television interview that she tral bank that is currently being investi- would appoint a new NBU chair once she for the development of further friendly WARSAW – Presidents Viktor gated. wins the presidential election in the win- ties. “Where the pages of history require Yushchenko of Ukraine and Lech “The exchange rate has become a sce- ter and “everything will be fine” with the Kaczynski of Poland on September 7 respect and deep reverence, or mutual nario for destabilizing the situation in the exchange rate. signed a road map for Ukrainian-Polish apology, both sides should find the country from the Presidential Ms. Tymoshenko is maneuvering to cooperation for 2009-2010 that under- strength to do it. President Kaczynski and Secretariat’s end,” Mr. Lutsenko said at a gain influence on the NBU and its leader- scored the strategic partnership between I are doing everything to make this policy September 8 press conference. “That’s ship, said Dr. Oleh Soskin, director of the the two countries, as well as a joint state- dominant in our relations,” he noted. Mr. why I turn to the president of Ukraine, Institute of Society Transformation in ment on energy cooperation that focused Kaczynski confirmed that the question of Viktor Yushchenko: either establish order Kyiv. on the need to diversify energy sources historical reconciliation remains an in the National Bank, or prepare your Mr. Lutsenko’s threats of criminal and increase energy security in Europe. important component of Ukrainian-Polish subordinates for prison. It’s impossible to prosecution are intended to intimidate its The Ukrainian president and his wife, cooperation. put up with this further. A massive fraud leadership to side with Mr. Tymoshenko, Kateryna Yushchenko, were in Poland for is unfolding before our eyes.” a state visit on September 7-8. Also trav- (Continued on page 3) The hryvnia’s drop became the latest (Continued on page 20) eling with the president were: acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Volodymyr Khandohiy, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Raisa Kyiv conference to focus on WWII and historical memory Bohatyriova, Vice Prime Minister Ivan by Zenon Zawada ties,” organizers said. rary issues on the politics of historical Vasiunyk, Minister of Culture Vasyl Kyiv Press Bureau “It’s the first and biggest international memory and national identity in Ukraine. Vovkun, Minister of Family, Youth and conference on the theme of World War II More than 50 scholars representing 13 Sports Yurii Pavlenko, Presidential KYIV – No European nation endured as and Ukraine’s role, and historical memory countries will present their work, with the Secretariat Deputy Chair Andrii many casualties in World War II as of the war, since independence,” said goal of advancing international dialogue Goncharuk and acting Chairman of the Ukraine. According to widely accepted Myron Stachiw, the director of the on Ukrainian historical memory and Ukrainian Institute of National Memory estimates, 2.5 million soldiers and 5.5 mil- Fulbright Program in Ukraine, who will national identity. About half of the pre- Ihor Yukhnovskyi. lion civilians were killed, and 2.4 million co-chair the conference with Vladyslav senters are from Ukraine and the others The Ukrainian leader was greeted by were forcibly deported as Ostarbeiters, a Hrynevych, senior research associate of are from abroad. the Polish president at an official wel- portion of whom emigrated permanently or the Kuras Institute of Political and The four-day conference’s most unique coming ceremony, after which the two perished at the hands of the Soviets and Ethnonational Studies at the National event is an all-night film festival begin- heads of state presented awards to each Nazis. Academy of Sciences in Ukraine. ning at 7:15 p.m. on September 25 that other: the Commander’s Cross of Polonia To commemorate the 70th anniversary Their eight-member organizing com- will screen movies examining Ukraine’s Restituta was awarded to Mr. of the launch of World War II, the mittee has met and worked regularly for World War II experience through 5:50 Yushchenko, and Ukraine’s Order of Fulbright Program in Ukraine has organ- 18 months in preparation for the confer- a.m. the next day. Liberty was conferred on Mr. Kaczynski. ized an international conference, “World ence, Mr. Stachiw said. Among the films to be shown are Slavko Commenting on Ukrainian-Polish talks War II and the (Re)Creation of Historical In June 2008, they invited top Ukraine Nowytski’s “Between Hitler and Stalin” in Warsaw, both presidents noted the Memory in Contemporary Ukraine,” that scholars and historians to submit papers and Sergey Bukovsky’s “Spell Your Name” importance of historical reconciliation for will be held on September 23-26 in Kyiv. on the philosophy, theory and politics of about the Holocaust in Ukraine. the Ukrainian and Polish people in order Prominent Ukrainian historians from historical memory, and the creation of “It was the idea of the organizing com- to spur efficient development of partner- around the world, including Dr. Yuri historical memory in Soviet and contem- mittee,” Mr. Stachiw said. “We wanted to ship relations. Shapoval, Dr. Orest Subtelny and Dr. porary Ukraine. This includes public include examples of how World War II is Mr. Yushchenko said that, despite a Roman Serbyn, will examine the commemoration of the war; public educa- presented in media and film. Many of the difficult common history, both countries Ukrainian experience of World War II and tion about the war and Ukraine’s role; documentary films were made for Ukrainian had decided to adhere to the historical “the subsequent mythologizing of the war representation of the war and its memory truth and see the common past as a basis and Ukraine’s role in it by Soviet authori- in art, film and literature; and contempo- (Continued on page 15) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2009 No. 37 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS The Putin-Medvedev brawl Opposition continues to block Rada is concerned over the Verkhovna Rada’s inability to start working efficiently, said KYIV – The opposition Party of the president’s press secretary, Iryna over Gazprom: Will Europe suffer? Regions of Ukraine (PRU) is continuing Vannykova, on September 9. “The presi- to block the rostrum of the Verkhovna by Roman Kupchinsky met with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller dent of Ukraine is strongly concerned Rada. A poster with the inscription Jamestown Foundation Blog and instructed him not to make this pay- over a stalemate in the Verkhovna Rada. “Tymoshenko’s government does not September 8 ment. “We need to act in accordance with The leading parliamentary factions want to increase pensions and wages” the agreement that was signed on January behave themselves irresponsibly by With the fall/winter heating season in 19 (2009). We do not need to dream up remains on the Cabinet’s seats, while another poster reading “The Party of blocking the work of the Verkhovna Europe rapidly approaching, there are anything new. We also face difficult Rada, it would seem, under various spe- indications that a vicious fight has begun times,” Mr. Medvedev stated. Regions will protect the social guarantees of the people” was put above the cious excuses,” she said. Ms. Vannykova between the apparatus of Russian Mr. Medvedev’s comment that said Mr.