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Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXX No. 42 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2002 $1/$2 in Ukraine HE KuchmaKRAINIAN once again a target of publicEEKLY demonstrations JournalistsT take a stand:U W by Roman Woronowycz no more censorship Kyiv Press Bureau by Roman Woronowycz KYIV – Three days after nearly 25,000 Kyiv Press Bureau demonstrators gathered in central Kyiv for KYIV – Responding to perceptions of a third round of anti-presidential demon- increased government censorship and strations in what was dubbed a “national tri- intimidation of the press, some 400 bunal,” a Ukrainian appellate court judge Ukrainian journalists have signed a mani- announced on October 15 that he had festo criticizing state leaders and spurring ordered an inquiry into corruption charges the creation of a union of independent jour- against President Leonid Kuchma. nalists and the formation of a strike com- The unexpected declaration, if heeded by mittee to coordinate its actions. the Procurator General’s Office, which is They are insisting that government and unlikely because it is controlled by the pres- state officials stop overtly and illegally ident, would be the first step in a process to attempting to influence and control infor- remove Mr. Kuchma from office. mation flowing from the mass media to the Yurii Vasylenko, longtime judge of the public, and demanding legislation to ban Kyiv District Appellate Court, told a specific forms of censorship. packed room of reporters during an unex- In a meeting with Verkhovna Rada pected appearance at a press conference Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn on October organized by leading opposition members, 15, the strike committee, consisting of 11 that it is time for law enforcement bodies to leading Ukrainian journalists, received a investigate the criminal allegations that for promise from the legislative leader that a some time now have been leveled at Mr. vote will be set for a special parliamentary Kuchma. hearing on censorship and freedom of the He explained that he has authority as a press in Ukraine to be held in December. sitting appellate judge to order a criminal A week earlier President Leonid investigation and that there is sufficient evi- Kuchma had said he was ready to meet dence contained in the materials opposition with the journalists, but the meeting never members had presented him to do so. occurred. “An investigation must take place and “The pressure from the government has the evidence examined to determine increased significantly since about June, whether Mr. Kuchma, first as prime minis- after the parliamentary elections,” ter and then as president, systematically explained Oleksander Kryvenko, a member violated laws and abused his powers of of the strike committee, who originally office,” explained Judge Vasylenko. published one of Ukraine’s first democratic The judge cited 11 charges against Mr. newspapers, Post-Postup, and today runs Kuchma, including accusations that he was the first public radio station in the country. involved in the murder of journalist Heorhii He explained that attempts to control the Gongadze and the alleged sale of Kolchuha media and censorship are nothing knew anti-aircraft radar systems to Iraq; accepted even in independent Ukraine, with many bribes from former Prime Minister Pavlo AP/Victor Pobedinsky tried and true methods continuing – includ- Lazarenko; and ordered other criminal acts, Protesters wave a banner with inscription “Freedom is our right” during ing denial of accreditation to political (Continued on page 15) October 12 protests calling for President Leonid Kuchma's ouster. events and press conferences for journalists who criticize government and state offi- cials. He also noted a more subtle and wide- U.S. and British arms experts spread form of censorship practiced for sev- eral years: the purchase of major broadcast D.C. conference examines Ukraine’s readiness and print media outlets by pro-presidential begin study of Kolchuha case business and political elites, referred to as “oligarchs,” who then control the editorial for inclusion in Euro-Atlantic community by Roman Woronowycz by Andrew Nynka aspiration to join European structures. Kyiv Press Bureau content of the newspapers and news pro- More than 300 people listened as grams they own. This has included direct- WASHINGTON – The Ukrainian officials reaffirmed Ukraine’s course KYIV – A delegation of 13 arms ing what reporters and camera crews can Congress Committee of America and a toward Europe. Continued allegations experts from the United States and cover, or simply allowing coverage of number of sponsors and organizers on of presidential-level corruption and Britain arrived in Ukraine on October 14 events but not airing the news packages October 8-9 held the third annual recent news of illegal military hard- on a fact-finding mission to determine afterwards. It also includes creative editing roundtable focusing on “Ukraine’s ware sales, however, have left the whether illegal arms sales took place to exclude information that could be con- Quest for Mature Nation Statehood” to country’s future in an expanding union between Kyiv and Baghdad. sidered critical of certain state leaders. assess Ukraine’s qualifications for a of European countries uncertain, many Under a veil of secrecy, they spent six Mr. Kryvenko said that since June, how- place in the Euro-Atlantic community days moving to various sites throughout ever, a new, more direct type of media con- of the experts present said. and to explore attitudes towards Panelists added that positive inter- the country to gather documents, and trol by the state not felt earlier finally had embracing Ukraine as a member of interview officials and experts. Perhaps provoked journalists to act. He explained national steps, such as support for the Euro-Atlantic organizations. fight against global terrorism and a most importantly, they got a first-hand that after major changes within the presi- Organizers said the two-day confer- look at the Kolchuha anti-aircraft radar dential administration, including the formal request on May 24 to be con- ence, held in the heart of Washington system, which the U.S. has accused appointment of Viktor Medvedchuk as sidered a candidate for NATO mem- at the JW Marriot Hotel on Ukraine of transferring to Iraq, to deter- President Kuchma’s chief of staff, news bership, have demonstrated Ukraine’s Pennsylvania Avenue, brought aca- mine its performance characteristics and directors began receiving anonymous direc- desire to join Euro-Atlantic structures. capabilities. tives on how to plan the weekly news cycle. demics and foreign policy experts together to discuss Ukraine’s stated (Continued on page 9) The group made no public statements (Continued on page 16) (Continued on page 12) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2002 No. 42 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Beyond the EU’s enlargement NEWSBRIEFS Judge opens case against Kuchma called for a peaceful solution to the conflict by Kasia Wolczuk and Roman from eligible for membership, is uncom- between Baghdad and Washington. “We are Wolczuk fortably insistent on being offered the KYIV – Kyiv Court of Appeals Judge against unilateral action by the United RFE/RL Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report mere prospect of membership at some Yurii Vasylenko has opened a criminal case States,” Mr. Khatami added. President unspecified time in the future. against President Leonid Kuchma in con- Kuchma said Ukraine, too, supports a The imminence of eastern enlarge- This insistence finds its roots in 1994, nection with charges by opposition law- peaceful solution to the Iraq problem. ment is compelling the European Union when Ukraine enthusiastically signed a makers that he violated 11 articles of the (RFE/RL Newsline) to address the issue of relations with its Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Criminal Code of Ukraine, including his future “direct neighbors” to the east, that (PCA) with the European Union becom- alleged involvement in the illegal sale of Estonian president visits Ukraine is, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova. While military technology to Iraq and the murder ing the first among the post-Soviet states KYIV – Estonian President Arnold the EU has a clear-cut strategy on the of journalist Heorhii Gongadze, Ukrainian to do so. In some respects, the agree- Ruutel said in Kyiv on October 14 that Balkans, embodied by the Stabilization and international news agencies reported on ment, which is valid for 10 years, resem- Estonia supports Ukraine’s efforts to inte- and Association Process, which offers the bled the association agreements signed October 15. Judge Vasylenko said he made his decision on the basis of an appeal by grate with Europe and NATO, Ukrainian prospect of EU membership, the EU has between Central and Eastern European and international news agencies reported. up until recently given the distinct states and the EU, which provided the national deputies, documents from the ad hoc parliamentary commission set up to Following his meeting with President impression of not knowing how to deal legal framework and instruments for Leonid Kuchma, President Ruutel pledged with Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova. The cooperation in a number of areas, includ- investigate the Gongadze case and evidence included on the secret audio recordings to develop closer ties with Ukraine after long-overdue process of devising a set of ing energy, trade, the environment, and Estonia, as widely expected, becomes a appropriate long-term policies and instru- transportation. However, in contrast to made by former presidential security officer Mykola Melnychenko. (RFE/RL Newsline) NATO member in November and a ments was finally embarked upon by the the association agreements, the PCA did European Union member in 2004. UNIAN not offer the prospect of EU member- union in spring 2002.