INSIDE: • President Viktor Yanukovych travels to Brussels – pages 3. • Notes on Ukraine’s presidential inauguration – page 4. • Adventures: An ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro – page 11. THEPublished U by theKRA Ukrainian NationalIN AssociationIAN Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVIII No.10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2010 $1/$2 in Ukraine European Parliament Verkhovna Rada ousts Tymoshenko government by Zenon Zawada Party of Regions, the Our Ukraine bloc and slams Yushchenko Kyiv Press Bureau the Lytvyn Bloc, which had been the most likely to form a new coalition. KYIV – Ukraine’s Parliament voted on Party of Regions deputies had confidently for honoring Bandera March 3 to dismiss the government of Prime predicted that they would form the coalition Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, paving the way the week of Mr. Yanukovych’s inauguration. PARSIPPANY, N.J. – In a resolution “on for the Party of Regions of Ukraine to form the situation in Ukraine” adopted on They secured the support of Mr. Lytvyn, yet a new coalition government that will work they underestimated the tangled web that is February 25, the European Parliament stated in tandem with its leader, President Viktor that it “Deeply deplores the decision by the the Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense. Yanukovych. “How can you negotiate with that outgoing president of Ukraine, Viktor The 243 votes to oust Ms. Tymoshenko’s Yushchenko, posthumously to award Stepan ‘bardak’ [mess]?” asked Dr. Kuzio, who Cabinet of Ministers drew upon the support spent several weeks in Ukraine meeting Bandera, a leader of the Organization of of 172 Party of Regions deputies, 27 Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) which col- with various deputies. “Nine parties became Communist votes, 19 votes from the 15, each of which has its own subgroups.” laborated with Nazi Germany, the title of Volodymyr Lytvyn Bloc, 15 votes from Our ‘National Hero of Ukraine’; hopes, in this And each subgroup is demanding a piece Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense (OU-PSD) of the coalition pie. For example, Dr. Kuzio regard, that the new Ukrainian leadership and even seven votes from the Yulia will reconsider such decisions and will learned that Single Center Party Chairman Tymoshenko Bloc. Viktor Baloha is demanding the post of maintain its commitment to European val- While opponents of the Tymoshenko ues.” Zakarpattia Oblast Administration Chair and government were celebrating in the halls of the Emergency Situations Ministry. “He’s That statement was the entirety of para- the Verkhovna Rada afterwards, experts said Offi cial Website of Yulia Tymoshenko graph 20 of 22 paragraphs devoted to vari- only got the eight people – who does he their joy could be premature. Forming a new Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko think he is?” Dr. Kuzio asked rhetorically. ous matters pertaining to Ukraine, from the coalition government within the 30-day addresses the Verkhovna Rada on March recent presidential election and constitution- As a result, the Party of Regions decided deadline has already proven difficult. 3, the day the Parliament voted no confi- on March 4 to pursue a new route to form- al reform to cooperation with the European “I don’t think it will be easy to form this dence in her government. Union, visa-free travel and energy efficien- ing a coalition, avoiding Our Ukraine – coalition at all,” said Dr. Taras Kuzio, senior People’s Self-Defense altogether. cy. research fellow at the Chair of Ukrainian that only parliamentary factions not individ- The Ukrinform news service and RFE/ Its deputies cobbled together 229 votes, a Studies of the University of Toronto. “I think ual deputies can form coalition govern- small majority, to approve changes to the RL reported on March 3 that deputies of the it’s telling that so few Our Ukraine people ments, and their total members must form a Lviv, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk oblast parliamentary by-laws that would allow cast their votes. I was expecting at least 30 majority of at least 226 votes. forming a coalition government with fac- councils had submitted appeals to the or 35.” Negotiations have persisted ever since European Parliament asking it to review The Constitution of Ukraine stipulates Mr. Yanukovych’s election between the (Continued on page 19) paragraph 20. And, on March 2, the International Conference in Support of Ukraine submitted a letter of protest to Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament. After defeat, observers ask: What’s next for Tymoshenko? Deputies from the three oblast councils by Zenon Zawada expressed confidence that the European Kyiv Press Bureau Parliament’s decision lacked legal and his- torical grounds, and was based on the slan- KYIV – Acting Prime Minister Yulia der of so-called “cooperation” between the Tymoshenko caused little surprise when she OUN and Nazi Germany. These are the announced she’s taking a needed vacation, echoes of Communist propaganda that just hours after the Parliament sacked her defamed the Ukrainian national liberation government. movement during World War II, they said. She suffered the biggest defeat of her The deputies said the resolution on political career in the presidential election, Bandera was based on false information and which left her disoriented and tired. In the called on the European Parliament to review three weeks since the February 7 runoff, Ms. its position. Tymoshenko fought an exhausting court Deputies of the oblast councils referred to battle that was already lost but necessary to the documents of the Nuremberg process, in rally her supporters. which neither Bandera, nor the OUN led by “I am a person just like any other,” she him, nor the Ukrainian Insurgent Army led told the judges reviewing her appeal on by Gen. Roman Shukhevych were described February 19. “It’s hard for me to overcome as collaborators. emotions. When they declared the election They reminded the European Parliament results, I could have gone off to the side and Victor Glasko that European public figures had earlier said, ‘Let it be as it may.’ But I found the expressed regret that Bandera was killed by strength to fight for just elections. Believe Supporters of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko hold a sign, “Democracy will Soviet KGB agent Bohdan Stashynsky on me, it’s not easy when results are announced, triumph,” outside the Higher Administrative Court in Kyiv on February 19. October 15, 1959. congratulations resound and you have to go Bandera fought against both Nazi and against the stream.” research fellow at the University of Toronto Ms. Tymoshenko’s post-election strug- Soviet forces in World War II. While he is Her campaign’s failure to prepare for the who interacted extensively with the gles began once international monitors lauded as a hero in the western part of post-election struggle, which some observ- Tymoshenko campaign. endorsed the elections the day after the vote, Ukraine, he is considered a traitor by many ers said Ms. Tymoshenko could very well “They have a short-term mentality and I pitting her against political winds that blew in the eastern, largely pro-Russian part of have won with the right strategy, has left the didn’t see them strategize with different sce- fiercely in Viktor Yanukovych’s favor all the the country. public wondering what lies ahead in her narios. There was no Plan B. They presented way through the appellate courts and into The Ukrainian deputies’ appeal was political career and whether she’ll be able to their case on election fraud too late and the presidential chair. passed at an extraordinary session on March learn from the mistakes in this campaign. didn’t put their case forward in the West and Even her own advisors admit the “I don’t think they understand the con- with international organizations. It came (Continued on page 17) cept of strategizing,” said Dr. Taras Kuzio, a across as very poorly done,” he explained. (Continued on page 17) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2010 No. 10 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Does Yanukovych inauguration mark European Parliament on Ukraine president of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, who arrived in Kyiv for the beginning of pseudo-Kuchma era? BRUSSELS – On February 25 the inauguration of Ukraine’s new president. European Parliament voted for a resolution Ms. Tymoshenko said she views the by Pavel Korduban 1932-1933 Famine from the presidential that contains a provision about Kyiv’s pos- European Parliament’s resolution on Eurasia Daily Monitor website, www.president.gov.ua sible application for European Union mem- Ukraine passed that day as a signal of sup- (Segodnya, February 27). Mr. Yushchenko bership. Clause B of the document says: Viktor Yanukovych was inaugurated as port to the country’s European aspirations. had cherished the memory of the Famine “Whereas Ukraine is a European state and, “This is a long-waited signal indicating Ukraine’s new president on February 25. as important to nation-building, but this pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty on His first steps and statements have proved Kyiv may apply for membership in the vexed Moscow and many Ukrainians. European Union, [it] may apply for mem- European Union. This is an extremely reminiscent of President Leonid In a move aimed against Ms. bership of the EU like any European state Kuchma’s (1994-2004) first term. Mr. important signal for all Ukrainian people,” Tymoshenko, who refused to admit her that adheres to the principles of liberty, she noted. The prime minister also said she Yanukovych selected President Kuchma’s defeat in the February 7 presidential elec- democracy, respect for human rights and considers it symbolic that the resolution former secretary as the head of his admin- tion runoff and to resign, Mr. Yanukovych fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.” was adopted that today: “Ukraine sees a istration and demonstrated that in foreign instructed the Procurator-General’s Office The document also says that the European foundation for consolidation of the entire policy he will revive the multi-vector and the Accounts Chamber to check gov- Parliament is planning to call on the EU nation just in Ukraine’s aspiration to approach of the Kuchma era, when ernment spending.