The Ukrainian Weekly 1998, No.5

www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• Polish cemetery in Lviv at center of bilateral relations — page 3. • Kuchma announces austerity program — page 4. • Team Ukraine roster for Nagano Winter Olympics — page 5. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXVITHE UNo.KRAINIAN 5 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARYW 1, 1998 EEKLY$1.25/$2 in Ukraine UCC to challenge Team Ukraine leaves for Winter Olympics in Nagano government on war crimes issue by Andrij Kudla Wynnyckyj Toronto Press Bureau TORONTO — The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has served notice that it will challenge Canada’s Justice Department in court over its decision to denatural- ize and deport citizens suspected of war crimes, without trying them in a criminal proceeding. According to a press release issued on January 22, the Ukrainian umbrella body decided upon this course of action “after many years of arguing its position before the Canadian public through the media.” The UCC release denounced the Canadian government’s decision to “follow the U.S. example” in pursu- ing war crimes cases via civil rather than criminal authorities. Justice Minister Allan Rock (since reap- pointed as minister of health) Efrem Lukatsky announced in January 1995 that his Members of Ukraine’s team for the Winter Olympics at a send-off celebration at the Ukraina Palace of Culture on January 28. department would open 12 such pro- ceedings. by Roman Woronowycz represent Ukraine in Nagano, along with 47 trainers. They will On December 12, 1997, a gov- Kyiv Press Bureau compete in 10 of the 14 Olympic winter events. ernment press release revealing that The head of the delegation, the president of the National the former director of the U.S. KYIV — Don’t look for a repeat of the Summer Olympic Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Valeriy Borzov, told The Office of Special Investigations, effort by Ukraine at the Nagano Winter Olympics. Ukraine sim- Neal Sher, had been hired as an ply does not have the natural environment to produce athletes Weekly that the team will be happy with a couple of medals. “advisor” also named the object of who can compete with northern countries that do consistently “Ukraine’s potential and traditions in the Summer and its 14th case: Toronto resident well in the winter sports. Winter Olympics are different. The winter climate in Ukraine is Wasyl Odynsky. That doesn’t mean that Ukraine does not have medal poten- such that it does not allow athletes to realize their full potential “We’ve sought clarification of tial. The country’s sports system, although lacking finances in in those types of sports,” said Mr. Borzov. “For instance, we the government’s position and a an economy that continues to sink, still has the ability to pro- don’t always have ice or snow. And the potential of the Karpaty meeting with the minister of jus- duce world-class athletes, even for the Winter Games. [Carpathian Mountains] where we get good winters, is not yet tice,” UCC National Executive Ukraine’s Winter Olympic squad left for Nagano, Japan, on realized.” Director Lydia Shawarsky told The January 29 to make final preparations for the XVIII Winter Weekly on January 28. Olympics that begin on February 7. A team of 56 athletes will (Continued on page 5) “We have sent two letters to Justice Minister Anne McLellan concerning the appointment of Mr. Ukraine, IMF to begin talks on long-term credit agreement Sher and the government’s moves in pursuit of denaturalization and by Yaro Bihun National Agency for Reconstruction and Since signing the stand-by agreement deportation, and we have received Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Development Chairman Roman Shpek, with the IMF in August 1997, Ukraine no reply to date. Not even acknowl- also met with officials of the World Bank has not been receiving the monthly edgment,” the UCC official added. WASHINGTON – Ukraine expects to and the Clinton administration. tranches regularly. As Finance Minister To spearhead the legal confronta- sign a multi-billion-dollar, long-term The long-term IMF credits would be in Mitiukov explained, in December 1997 tion, and, according to the press credit agreement with the International the form a three-year Extended Fund Ukraine received the tranches for the pre- release, “in order to combat what Monetary Fund to support Ukraine’s eco- Facility (EFF) of close to $3 billion. If [the UCC] regards to be a grossly vious two months, and it missed the nomic reform program. approved, it would be distributed to December disbursement. unjust course of action by the gov- Vice Prime Minister Serhii Tyhypko, Ukraine on a month-to-month basis, pro- ernment against its own citizens,” a With the January 28 release, an IMF who headed a high-level Ukrainian eco- vided the government adheres to the IMF’s spokesperson said, Ukraine is up to date special committee to deal with the nomic delegation that conferred with the reform guidelines. Currently the IMF’s issue was struck on January 8 at a on stand-by disbursements. IMF here on January 22, said the two credit assistance of $542 million is in the UCC executive meeting held at its Mr. Tyhypko said his optimism about sides agreed to begin preparatory talks on form of a “stand-by” agreement, which is headquarters Winnipeg. receiving the next stand-by credits and the subject in early February. also disbursed on a monthly basis. The Justice Committee on reaching agreement on the EFF long- “We would like to see the program In talks with the IMF, the Ukrainian del- Deportation and Denaturalization term credits is based on a number of prepared in two months and signed in (JCDD) is chaired by John Petryshyn, egation also made a case for releasing the recent actions taken by the Ukrainian April,” he said at the conclusion of his an immigration lawyer based in next tranche of stand-by credits for Ukraine. government with respect to its fiscal poli- two-day visit on January 23. Indeed, a few days later, on January 28, the cy and structural reforms, among them: (Continued on page 5) His delegation, which included IMF board of directors voted to disburse the Finance Minister Ihor Mitiukov and tranche, amounting to $49 million. (Continued on page 4) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1998 No. 5 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Through the political periscope: Crimean leader praises Kuchma on veto form by observers in the work of electoral committees or the voting process. (Embassy SYMFEROPOL — Crimean of Ukraine) a look at the pre-election scene Parliament Chairman Anatolii Hrytsenko has praised President Leonid Kuchma for Miners demonstrate for back wages by Markian Bilynskyj his mission (at the prompting of the vetoing a Crimean election law as uncon- administration, according to some com- KYIV — Some 200 construction work- Asked last fall to characterize the stitutional, ITAR-TASS reported on mentators) to review or re-open cases January 24. President Kuchma said a pro- ers from coal mines in eastern Ukraine forthcoming parliamentary election cam- against high-level officials, past and pre- demonstrated in Kyiv for the payment of paign, former president Leonid Kravchuk vision in the legislation would permit only sent, that had been pigeon-holed by his Ukrainian citizens living in Crimea to be back wages, Agence France Press reported replied that it would be a “viina kompro- predecessor; and acting chairman of the on January 26. Some of the workers have misiv” (“war of compromises”). At the elected to the autonomous republic’s State Property Fund, Volodymyr Parliament, which is a violation of the not been paid for more than a year. beginning of December, the usually Lanovyi, a key player in the impending Government wage arrears at the end of restrained Mr. Kravchuk – who heads up Ukrainian Constitution. He also said it is privatization of Ukraine’s strategic enter- too early to switch to a proportional elec- 1997 totaled some 5 billion hrv ($2.6 billion the election ticket of the Social prises. On December 16, 1997, the U.S.). The protests continued the following Democratic Party (Unified) – reiterated tion system, as stipulated in the bill. Such Verhkovna Rada again refused to confirm a move could inflame political infighting day. (RFE/RL Newsline) his view rather more graphically. Mr. Lytvak – even though the committees Commenting on a newspaper piece on the on the peninsula, Mr. Kuchma added. Mr. Wage arrears protests increase responsible for reviewing his suitability Hrytsenko called President Kuchma a potential of the Ukrainian security service for the post found nothing negative in and police for discrediting various candi- “constitutional guarantor.” Verkhovna KYIV — More than 1,500 people either his record or character. Rada Chairman Oleksander Moroz, how- demonstrated for their unpaid wages out- dates or parties, he stated that people The Verkhovna Rada versus the should be afraid not of the security forces ever, has sharply criticized the veto. side a government building in Symferopol, Cabinet of Ministers and the (RFE/RL Newsline) capital of Crimea, during a special meeting but of the “hivnometiv” (literally “dung Administration; Chairman Moroz versus throwers”). of Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, Reuters President Kuchma: These are familiar, Moroz sums up session reported on January 27. Prime Minister At the end of November, the chairman long-established vectors of confrontation of the Bank of Ukraine, Viktor KYIV — Verkhovna Rada Chairman Valerii Pustovoitenko told the crowd that characterized by accusations and counter- the autonomous republic’s disastrous econ- Yuschenko, had implied something simi- accusations, usually channeled through Oleksander Moroz on January 19 lar – albeit without Mr. Kravchuk’s vivid summed up the results of the eighth con- omy is due to the “independent policy” it those elements of the media (particularly has pursued.

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