The Ukrainian Weekly 2004, No.25
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• Testimony on Ukraine and U.S. interests — page 3. • OSI continues to pursue alleged war criminals — page 8. • Plast youths celebrate “Sviato Yuriya” — pages 14-15. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXII HE KRAINIANNo. 25 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 2004 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine Foreign bidders shut out as Kryvorizhstal is sold T U Nationalist organizationsW to unite by Vasyl Pawlowsky Parliamentary Commission to Control Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Privatization, told the UNIAN news service that it was her opinion the condi- in support of Yushchenko candidacy by Vasyl Pawlowsky declaration read, “We are also conscious KYIV – Ukraine’s State Property tions of the tender were written up in of the necessity, and that the time has Fund (SPF) on June 14 announced the such a way that the only possible buyer Special to The Ukrainian Weekly come for the consolidation of the results of the tender for the controversial was IMU. KYIV – Acting together on June 16, Ukrainian nationalist movement. With sale of a 93.02 percent stake in the Open The LNM-U.S. Steel consortium has the leaders of two nationalist organiza- this as our goal, we declare that we have Joint Stock Company Kryvorizhstal. called on President Leonid Kuchma and tions, the Organization of Ukrainian formed working groups, which in a short According to the SPF, only two compa- Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych to Nationalists led by Mykola Plaviuk and time frame must develop the ideological nies met the tender requirements. Much look into the sale, which has become the Organization of Ukrainian and political principles of a united of the controversy over the sale was due nothing short of a scandal. However, it is Nationalists (Revolutionary) headed by Ukrainian nationalist movement.” to the conditions that were set, which unlikely that Mr. Yanukovych will take Andriy Haydamakha, and two political “The interests of the state are current- some say were geared toward shutting any concrete steps in the matter unless he parties, the Congress of Ukrainian ly such that Kuchma must go and out the possibility of a foreign buyer. is going to backpedal. At a June 9 press Nationalists (CUN) and the All- Yushchenko must come in, and then One of the terms, for example, was briefing, Mr. Yanukovych had said, “If that the bidder must have a controlling Ukrainian Union Svoboda, led, respec- solve a lot of problems that were left we are unable to privatize Kryvorizhstal tively, by Oleksii Ivchenko and Oleh behind by Kuchma,” said the leader of interest in a profitable coke plant in on time, we’ll lose a great deal in the Tiahnybok, publicly announced that the Svoboda, National Deputy Tiahnybok. Ukraine, which had been operating over value of the company.” process of uniting had begun. “However, in order for us to unite effec- the last three years and was capable of In a Deutsche Welle radio interview, In fact, the consolidation process start- tively, we must go through certain stages. producing not less than a million tons of Ferdinand Pavel, a consultant for the ed on May 28, when the four leaders And we need time to do this,” he added. coke per year. The only two bidders who Ukrainian government said, “Of course signed a declaration under the title When asked whether the coalition’s met this requirement were the Industrial it’s a scandal. The plank was at an even Group (Donbas Industrial Union) and the “Unity – A Guarantee for Victory!” Their support of Mr. Yushchenko could actual- $1 billion. A lower price is simply not ly do more harm than good to the Our Investment-Metallurgical Union (IMU), possible. I would call what happened a declaration read: “Ukrainian nationalists an organization that was recently formed are convinced, that the only real candi- Ukraine leader’s presidential bid, partic- thoughtless political calculation.” The ularly in the southern and eastern regions between the Interpipe Corp., headed by conditions laid out by the SPF were not date who can win from the national- Viktor Pinchuk, the president’s son-in- patriotic camp is Viktor Yushchenko.” In of the country, Mr. Ivchenko of the CUN law, and System Capital Management, (Continued on page 8) order to facilitate the unification their explained, “the participants of the union headed by Renat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s are trying to dispel the myth the national- richest man. ists are strong only in Western Ukraine, The IMU won the bid by offering 4.26 Chinese and Ukrainian communities along with the myth regarding radical billion hrv, around $8.5 million (U.S.). nationalists.” He added that the CUN “is The sale price drew the ire of both dynamically developing, particularly in Ukrainian legislators and foreign bid- unite to honor Canadian MP Inky Mark the east, south and central regions of ders. Ukraine – it is in these regions that we As reported by Interfax, Oleksander have 60 percent of our branches.” TORONTO – Two hundred Chinese Restitution Act – which would secure Moroz, leader of the Socialist Party of Asked how they would counter the Ukraine, said his faction is likely to push and Ukrainian Canadians gathered on acknowledgement and symbolic redress fact that nationalists were often seen as for the resignation of Mykhailo June 14 in Toronto to honor Inky Mark, for these two communities for the injus- radicals, Mr. Tiahnybok replied, “One of Chechetov who heads the SPF. The member of Parliament for the Manitoba tices they experienced during Canada’s the main things that we are trying to Socialists charge that the SPF chairman riding of Dauphin-Swan River- first national internment operations of demonstrate is that we can work togeth- violated the law and the Constitution of Marquette, for his dedication to righting 1914-1920 and as a result of the discrimi- er, we must not give into provocations, Ukraine, and that the sale failed to meet historical injustices. natory Head Tax levied against Chinese and there will be provocations.” He added, “One of the most important the commitments made during a meeting Mr. Mark has tabled two private mem- immigrants to Canada. There are over 2 million Canadians of things is that we stick to our outlined of the conciliatory council on the privati- ber’s bills – Bill C 331, the Ukrainian zation of Kryvorizhstal. Chinese and Ukrainian heritage. This is the goals and objects of our declaration of Canadian Restitution Act, and Bill C 333, May 28, and that is why we have devel- The bid presented by the consortium the Chinese Canadian Recognition and (Continued on page 4) made up of London-based LNM Corp., oped some common principles and ideol- the world’s second largest producer of ogy. And as you heard, we are all against steel, and Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel, the Single Economic Space agreement, the seventh largest producer, was in fact as it is just another way in which Russia will try to dominate us, and also drain much higher at 14.31 billion hrv, or our country of its potential.” about $2.7 billion (U.S.). There is also the possibility that the The consortium issued a press release coalition will grow. As reported by on June 14 which read, “the consortium Lvivska Hazeta, talks are currently under is disappointed with the fact that the way about the possibility of UNA-UNSO State Property Fund chose to ignore this (Ukrainian National Assembly-Ukrainian opportunity and believes Ukraine has National Self-Defense), led by Andriy missed a real opportunity by effectively Shkil, joining the group of four. ruling out foreign bidders from the priva- However, as declared by the coalition tization of Kryvorizhstal.” LNM said the on June 16, the possibility of other consortium’s bid also addressed social groups like the Organization of and environmental issues. Ukrainian Nationalists in Ukraine, an “The LNM-U.S. Steel bid guaranteed organization registered with the Ministry all existing jobs and declared its commit- of Justice in Ukraine back in the fall of ment to maintaining and improving 1993 – and which the four coalition social harmony at the plant, and fulfilled members consider to be a group “that all the terms of the tender relating to this was created as a political project, whose issue,” read the consortium’s press aim was to break up the Ukrainian oppo- release. While it may have met these par- Member of Parliament Inky Mark (center) receives the “For Justice” medallion sition and discredit the nationalist move- ticular terms of the tender, Valentyna presented by the Chinese and Ukrainian communties of Canada from Angela Lui Semiuk, who heads the special (left) and Kassandra Luciuk. (Continued on page 8) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 2004 No. 25 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Former U.S. president visits Ukraine Rada rejects bill on ‘hidden’ revenues parent and fair elections. This is a case of by Taras Kuzio former President Bush, who were both pri- interference in the internal affairs of a sover- KYIV – The Verkhovna Rada on June 16 eign state.” (RFE/RL Newsline) Eurasia Daily Monitor vately invited by Mr. Pinchuk. At the same rejected a motion to include on the agenda a time, Mr. Kuchma refused to meet Deputy bill on “hidden” budget revenues in 2004 Two blocs to sign cooperation pact Former U.S. President George Bush Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and was the latest in a long line of senior that was prepared by Our Ukraine, UNIAN Eurasia and former U.S. Ambassador to U.S. policy-makers to visit Ukraine. The reported. Apart from Our Ukraine, the KYIV – Our Ukraine leader Viktor Ukraine Steven Pifer, as well as Jeffrey May 20-21 visit should be understood as motion was supported by other opposition Yushchenko said at a meeting with voters part of the ongoing election campaign in Hirschberg, a member of the U.S.