INSIDE: • Ukraine’s intelligence service exposes crimes of Soviet era – page 3. • Students’ works on Holodomor cited in Illinois competition – page 6. • See what the kids are up to in UKELODEON – pages 21-23.

THEPublished U byKRAINIAN the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVII No.24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 $1/$2 in Ukraine Plans disintegrate for new Ukrainian government coalition

Official Website of Ukraine’s President Web-Portal of the Ukrainian Government Viktor Yanukovych Personal Information Server President Viktor Yushchenko at a press conference Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko at a June 3 meet- Viktor Yanukovych at a session of the opposition on June 6. ing of the Cabinet. government on May 28.

by Zenon Zawada Lavra), indicating that the presidential con- eponymous political bloc. “We conceded to contained numerous other points that raised Kyiv Press Bureau tender is once again injecting religion into everyone. We were ready for any losses – concern, including depriving licenses to the campaign. political, electoral, image, ranks. But today, mass media accused of “disinformation of KYIV – Plans for a coalition between “The few months that separate Ukraine not for a second, do I regret that we attempt- society,” as well as giving the president Ukraine’s two most powerful political forces from the presidential elections would simply ed this. This is the true and righteous path.” enhanced control of law enforcement collapsed the morning of June 7 when Party not have been enough to begin truly, effec- The planned coalition between the Party authorities. of Regions of Ukraine Chair Viktor tive anti-crisis activity,” he noted. of Regions of Ukraine (PRU) and the Yulia The Tymoshenko-Yanukovych Yanukovych announced he was leading his That same evening Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (YTB) would have Constitution would have also required the party in withdrawing from the negotiations, Tymoshenko delivered her response in a amended the Constitution of Ukraine to Ukrainian president to get approval from the claiming there wasn’t enough time to reach live, national television address, blaming enable Parliament to elect the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council and a quality agreement. Mr. Yanukovych for ruining the chance to president instead of a popular vote, and the Parliament before using military force “I understood that time is needed for a unite the nation’s leaders to cope with extended the term for members of against a foreign invader, “a direct threat to new government and a new coalition, but it Ukraine’s economic crisis, as well as dis- Parliament by between three and five years, Ukraine’s independence and territorial integ- makes no sense to create a new government tancing herself from the agreement’s contro- leaving Ms. Tymoshenko in place as prime rity,” said Oleksander Paliy, an expert at the with the approaching presidential elections,” versial provisions. minister for that duration. Foreign Policy Institute of the Foreign Mr. Yanukovych said in a television address “Our political force accepted large, The proposed Constitution, leaked to the at Kyiv’s Monastery of the Caves (Pecherska unforeseen compromises,” she said of her Dzerkalo Tyzhnia newspaper on June 4, (Continued on page 4) Exhibit focuses on ‘dialogue’ between Ukainian fine and folk art by Marta Baczynsky Jaroslaw Leshko, curator of the exhibition and president of the museum’s board of NEW YORK – The Ukrainian Museum trustees. “The exhibition is an invitation to in New York City on June 13 opened its lat- view seminal works from the fine art and est exhibition, “Fine Art / Folk Art: A folk art collections and explore the rich Dialogue.” Featured are paintings and sculp- interaction between the two traditions.” He tures from the museum’s fine arts collection added that “while not all the exhibited artists and folk costumes, embroidered textiles, a consciously focus on folk art, there are kilim, and pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs) examples of their work where a link with from its folk art collection. The majority of folk art reveals itself in unexpected, varied the folk art and fine art objects in the show ways.” are from various periods of the 20th century, Nature and its infinite bounty of motifs with the addition of several contemporary stand as the most compelling influence on works. The exhibition will run through the development of Ukrainian folk culture. September 27. Its power is reflected in the rites, rituals and Since its founding, The Ukrainian traditions of secular and religious celebra- Museum has mounted many exhibitions tions, in the designs and coloration of from its collections. In the exhibition “Fine embroidered and woven textiles, in the fine Art/Folk Art: A Dialogue,” the two disci- craftsmanship of woodwork and metalwork. plines are presented in a comparative setting It is crystallized in the uniqueness and per- for the first time, allowing for the study and fection of the most identifiable and quintes- appreciation of the relationship between sential representative of Ukrainian folk cul- them. ture – the pysanka. “The exhibition’s rationale lies in the The designs on the pysanky in the exhi- symbiosis between the fine arts and folk art “Dance” by Halyna Mazepa (1956, oil on board), gift of Ilarion and Svitlana traditions in Ukraine,” explained Prof. (Continued on page 17) Cholhan. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS

Grand coalition talks Yushchenko appeals to ambassadors Yulia Tymoshenko said in her televised address on June 7 that she would run for collapse in Ukraine KYIV – Ukrainian President Viktor the presidency. “I will participate in the Yushchenko on June 5 called on the inter- presidential elections, and I’ll win them. I national community to help Ukraine pre- believe and know that one day Ukrainian by Pavel Korduban whether the rest of the agreements would serve democracy. He made this call during be adhered to. politics will be pure and fair, while the Eurasia Daily Monitor his meeting with ambassadors of the authorities will be strong and incorrupt. I Mr. Yanukovych apparently wanted Group of Seven, Poland, Slovakia, The talks on forming a coalition believe and know that Ukraine will more guarantees of his election victory. Hungary, the Czech Republic, Sweden and between Prime Minister Yulia become the way you dream about it – Ms. Tymoshenko claimed in her address the European Commission. Mr. Tymoshenko and Party of Regions of European and beautiful,” she said. Ms. to the nation that he insisted on raising Yushchenko noted that he had invited the Ukraine (PRU) leader Viktor Yanukovych Tymoshenko said that talks on the cre- the minimum age requirement for presi- ambassadors to present to them his vision have failed due to mutual distrust. ation of a broad coalition between four dential candidates from 35 to 50. This of the political situation in Ukraine. “All Electing the next president in the political forces had ended because Party would automatically exclude from the masks have actually been cast off over the Verkhovna Rada was among the main of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych had race both Ms. Tymoshenko and the third past week,” he said, reporting on the talks conditions for a grand coalition that unilaterally left the negotiating process. most popular candidate, the liberal econo- on creation of a coalition between the would have permitted Ms. Tymoshenko She said that Mr. Yanukovych had decid- mist Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Ms. Tymoshenko Party of Regions of Ukraine and the Yulia to remain as prime minister after Mr. ed to end coalition talks due to her refusal said she could not accept such an “exotic” Tymoshenko Bloc. The main objective of Yanukovych’s election as the next presi- to amend a constitutional norm increasing precedent (ICTV, June 7). this coalition is amendment of the dent by Parliament. This would have ini- the age requirement for presidential can- Apparently both Ms. Tymoshenko and Constitution, the president stated. He said tiated the start of Ukraine’s transition to didates to 50. Ms. Tymoshenko reiterated Mr. Yanukovych do not rule out resuming the amendments that are to be proposed parliamentary rule (Eurasia Daily that attempts to unite political forces were coalition talks after the presidential elec- provide for reserving for Yulia Monitor, June 3). aimed at tackling the crisis. She said that tion. However, several points are already Tymoshenko the prime minister’s post for Since the talks have failed, until after she would like to put an end to all discus- clear: Ukraine will experience a popular the coming 10 years, as well as for the the popular presidential election sched- sions on constitutional amendments. “The presidential election once again, most Verkhovna Rada to elect the president. Mr. uled for January 2010, Ukraine will issue did not concern the extension of the likely in January 2010 (Parliament has Yushchenko emphasized that at issue is the remain an unstable and mixed parliamen- Parliament’s powers, the unilateral elec- yet to schedule the exact date); both Mr. restriction of the democratic rights and tary-presidential republic where the line tion of the president by Parliament or any Yanukovych and Ms. Tymoshenko will freedoms of citizens, whose vote is being between the authorities of president and other measures to restrict freedom of run for president; and there will be no diminished. He also said that initiatives to prime minister are blurred. speech. Our political force, as well as the transition to parliamentary rule – at least prolong the terms of the Verkhovna Rada Everything was in place for forming a Volodymyr Lytvyn Bloc and Our in the short to medium term, since no and local bodies of power are illegal. “All new coalition by June 5, including the Ukraine-People’s Self-Defense, was total- matter who is elected he or she is likely these initiatives are illegal and in fact draft of a new Constitution of Ukraine, ly against amendments of this kind,” Ms. to try to boost presidential power at imply a constitutional upheaval. This is a which had been published in the media Tymoshenko said. She added that such Parliament’s expense. This trend has been breakdown of all the democratic achieve- and widely discussed. However, on June conditions were unacceptable to her, and observed in Ukraine on several occasions ments Ukraine has made over the past few 7 Mr. Yanukovych unexpectedly stressed the need to immediately pass in the past. years,” he stressed. “As the president of announced on TV that the talks had constitutional amendments. The current In the interim, Ukraine will be steered Ukraine, I guarantee that I will not allow failed. The main reason, he said, was that Constitution, she said, is being used to the unlawful election of the president in he could not agree to elect the president by an exceptionally weak government destroy the state and its sovereignty. “It is Parliament and will do my best for Ukraine in Parliament, since this would “make chaired by Prime Minister Tymoshenko. unacceptable to continue living in line to comply with all of its international com- society doubtful about the transparency The amorphous coalition that backs her – with such a constitution,” Ms. mitments on the observance of the rights of our actions.” Mr. Yanukovych also said consisting of the YTB, the Volodymyr Tymoshenko said, expressing confidence and freedoms of citizens,” he underscored. that a new coalition would have insuffi- Lytvyn Bloc and the majority of Our that “we’ll change the Constitution for He added he is appealing to the interna- cient time to appoint a new government Ukraine – controls significantly less than the better” shortly after the presidential tional community for assistance in main- and adopt a fresh Constitution (Inter TV, half of the seats in Parliament. In crucial election. (Ukrinform) taining the democratic development of June 7). votes, it has to seek support from either Ukraine. The president also told the for- Ms. Tymoshenko reacted immediately the Communists or the PRU. Furthermore, PRU will not join coalition with YTB eign news media that the purpose of with an improvised televised address to the number of vacant positions in the amending the Constitution is a coup d’état KYIV – The Party of Regions of the nation. She stated that the PRU unilat- government is growing, which raises and said that “the goal of creating a coali- Ukraine (PRU) has ended its talks with erally withdrew from the coalition talks, doubts about its ability to steer Ukraine tion of the two biggest factions is to pro- the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (YTB) although “the four political forces – the out of the present crisis. vide mutual guarantees for their stay in regarding the creation of a broad coalition PRU, the bloc of Parliament chair On June 5 Parliament dismissed power.” (Ukrinform) and changes in the form of government in Volodymyr Lytvyn, the Yulia Tymoshenko Defense Minister Yurii Yekhanurov. The motion was backed by 363 votes in the Ukraine because of its reluctance to Bloc (YTB) and the majority of Our Tymoshenko accuses Yanukovych deprive the people of their right to elect Ukraine agreed to unite for the sake of 450-seat body. The vote demonstrated the people,” at a time of severe economic how little influence the weakened KYIV – Ukrainian Prime Minister (Continued on page 14) crisis. She said that this left no alternative President Viktor Yushchenko retains over to her running for the presidency in a Parliament. popular election. Ms. Tymoshenko said Ms. Tymoshenko had insisted on Mr. that her party was against both electing Yekhanurov’s dismissal. On May 20 she THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY FOUNDED 1933 the president in Parliament and extending accused Mr. Yekhanurov of corruption, the current parliamentary term from 2012 referring to the results of investigations An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., to 2014 – although it is widely known alleging that ministerial officials were a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. that the two conditions for a grand coali- involved in illegal operations involving Yearly subscription rate: $55; for UNA members — $45. tion had been agreed on between her and land and fuel. Ms. Tymoshenko asked Mr. Periodicals postage paid at Parsippany, NJ 07054 and additional mailing offices. Mr. Yanukovych (ICTV, June 7). Yushchenko to dismiss Mr. Yekhanurov (ISSN — 0273-9348) Mr. Yanukovych apparently decided but he refused, insisting that Mr. The Weekly: UNA: that it was safer to run in a popular elec- Yekhanurov had not violated any laws Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 tion – which the opinion polls indicated (UNIAN, May 20). that he might win – rather than rely on an With Mr. Yekhanurov’s departure, the Postmaster, send address changes to: election in Parliament of a coalition part- Tymoshenko Cabinet remains without a The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz ner that had been his long-standing oppo- defense minister, finance minister and 2200 Route 10 Editors: Matthew Dubas nent. Moreover, mutual distrust was foreign affairs minister. Justice Minister P.O. Box 280 Zenon Zawada (Kyiv) fueled by the lack of unity among the Mykola Onyschuk, another ally of Mr. Parsippany, NJ 07054 YTB ranks regarding the coalition condi- Yushchenko, also might be vulnerable, as tions. The nationalist wing was firmly the YTB has long insisted on his dismiss- The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com; e-mail: [email protected] against extending the parliamentary term, al. and Ms. Tymoshenko reportedly assured The Ukrainian Weekly, June 14, 2009, No. 24, Vol. LXXVII them that the next parliamentary election The article above is reprinted from Copyright © 2009 The Ukrainian Weekly would be held in 2012 (Ukrayinska Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission Pravda, June 8). This probably raised from its publisher, the Jamestown doubts within the Yanukovych camp as to Foundation, www.jamestown.org. ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3041 e-mail: [email protected] Maria Oscislawski, advertising manager (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 Visit our archive online: fax: (973) 644-9510 Mariyka Pendzola, subscriptions e-mail: [email protected] www.ukrweekly.com (973) 292-9800, ext. 3042 e-mail: [email protected] No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 3 NEWS ANALYSIS: Ukraine’s intelligence service promotes exposure of Soviet era by Taras Kuzio they had not studied the formerly secret eyewitness accounts and launch criminal Memory has compiled nearly 900,000 Eurasia Daily Monitor documents made publicly available by the proceedings. These would investigate the names of Ukrainians who died in the fam- SBU. The SBU had requested its Russian repeated “actions of criminal groups and the ine. The SBU and the institute continued to On May 11 in an interview with Gazeta counterparts to open secret Russian docu- crimes of repressive agencies in the first work on the documents, collect eye-witness Wyborcza, the chief of the Security Service ments on Soviet repression, but this had place against the civilian population” statements and locate mass burial grounds. of Ukraine (SBU), Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, been rebutted. (Ukrayinska Pravda, May 28). Soviet repres- “In this criminal case there is a serious pos- outlined how previously secret documents “At first the ‘tsulag’ was established in sion included mass murder of the civilian sibility of success in court,” Mr. from 1917-1991 were being released that Ukraine and then later the gulag that we all population, mass deportations and placing Nalyvaichenko added (Ukrayinska Pravda, will reveal details about the “crimes of com- know about,” Mr. Nalyvaichenko said. The the children of those sentenced or murdered June 3). munism.” tsulag was established in 1919 in Ukraine into orphanages. The lustration of former Communist offi- Mr. Nalyvaichenko described the open- and included 18 locations. On May 21, the Launching criminal charges and lustra- cials has not been the norm in the majority ing of formerly secret documents and plans official Day of Memory of Victims of tion within Ukraine might be more difficult of the 27 post-Communist states. Different to proceed with prosecutions as “the launch Political Repressions, President Viktor than placing this in the hands of the interna- degrees of lustration were undertaken in of a Ukrainian version of lustration.” The Yushchenko attended a commemoration at tional courts. Ukraine’s judiciary and prose- Germany and within 10 Central and Eastern documents reveal Soviet crimes against one of the most infamous of these in the cutor’s office are highly corrupt and have European countries, and the Baltic states. Ukrainians fighting for independence from Bykivnia forest outside Kyiv. The area was not demonstrated sufficient competence in The toughest lustration legislation was 1917-1920, the 1933 Famine and the nation- established as a State Historical and pursuing high-profile cases, such as investi- adopted in the Czech Republic and alist partisan struggle from 1942 to the early Memorial Preserve by a resolution adopted gating the organizers of journalist Heorhii Germany. 1950s. by the 2001 Yushchenko government. The Gongadze’s murder or Mr. Yushchenko’s It is noticeable, however, from this list of Mr. Nalyvaichenko also revealed that the SBU had identified 14,000 names of the poisoning. countries that no CIS state, including secret documents exposed crimes commit- estimated 100,000 victims buried in Parliament might also prove unsupport- Georgia, has undertaken lustration. This ted against other nationals, including Poles Bykivnia. ive. Party of Regions leader Viktor could now change with Ukraine following living in Ukraine. These began in 1937-1938 Mr. Nalyvaichenko described how repres- Yanukovych described the SBU’s lustration Central and Eastern Europe in launching the and those whom the NKVD did not then sive Soviet agencies surrounded Ukrainian plans for launching criminal charges in rela- lustration of Communist crimes against murder were later murdered in the Kharkiv oblasts to prevent food entering them. These tion to the Famine as “provocative and irre- humanity. prisons (and Katyn forest) in 1940. same units were also stationed on the sponsible” (Ukrayinska Pravda, May 27). The issues of nation-building and histori- The director of the SBU’s archives, Crimean border with Ukraine (then within Mr. Yanukovych accused Mr. Yushchenko cal memory have become a personal crusade Volodymyr Vyatovych revealed that the the Russian SFSR). Mr. Nalyvaichenko’s of playing the nationalist card by using the for President Yushchenko. In his speech at SBU had already compiled 136 names of assurances that the SBU’s work on Soviet Famine to stay in power, potentially further Bykivnia Mr. Yushchenko called for the individuals involved in committing crimes crimes was not directed against Russia will dividing the country and worsening relations removal of all the Communist “symbols of against humanity during the Famine. These fall on deaf ears in Moscow, especially fol- with Russia. murder” (www.president.gov.ua, May 17). included NKVD officers, senior members of lowing President Dmitry Medvedev’s estab- President Yushchenko replied to such Following the disintegration of the the Communist Party and those who had lishment of a special commission to “coun- domestic critics as individuals whose USSR, Ukrainian democratization could signed documents. The manner in which the teract attempts to falsify history.” “dream is a gubernia where they would be never be divorced from nation- and state- crimes were organized was the basis for the Mr. Nalyvaichenko revealed that a uncontrolled lords,” a place “without building. President Yushchenko’s crusade allegation that the Famine was a pre-planned 226-page collection of materials showed Ukrainian culture and without the Ukrainian against Soviet crimes is intimately bound up “genocide” against Ukraine (Ukrayinska how, in addition to the deaths caused by the language” (www.president.gov.ua, May 17). with Ukraine’s democratization and integra- Pravda, May 28). Famine, many others were shot, and these Mr. Nalyvaichenko replied to Mr. tion into Europe. This explains Moscow’s Russia has countered the claims of “geno- included “Russians, Germans, Jews and Yanukovych that Soviet repression and the hostility, as it is in the throes of covering up cide” by using the argument that the Famine Ukrainians” (www.radiosvoboda.org, May Famine had been most severe in the Donbas Soviet crimes, and building an autocracy was felt throughout the USSR and was an 28). The SBU has also investigated the 1944 and the Zaporizhia Oblast, Party of Regions grounded in a synthesis of nationalism and outcome of collectivization and severe deportation of 300,000 Crimean Tatars and strongholds. He pointed out that since 2006 Soviet rule. weather. This view has long been prevalent criminal cases against the Tatar nationalist Ukrainian legislation asserts that the within left-wing and pro-Soviet political and Milly Firqa organization in the 1920s Holodomor was an “act of genocide against The article above is reprinted from academic circles in the West. (Channel 5, May 18). the Ukrainian people,” prosecution for Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from Mr. Nalyvaichenko replied to these The SBU chief said he believe it would which falls within the criminal code. its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, Russian counter-claims by asserting that only require a short period of time to collect The Ukrainian Institute of National www.jamestown.org.

UKRAINE’S ECONOMIC CRISIS: Interview with economist Andriy Novak by Zenon Zawada funds will be distributed from the state Kyiv Press Bureau budget for the benefit of certain bank own- ers who are close to power.” To offer an independent analysis of the Also hidden are the government statis- current economic crisis in Ukraine, The tics that economists like Mr. Novak need Weekly decided to interview three econo- in order to make their analyses and judg- mists who are independent of the global ments. So much is the government con- and Ukrainian financial elite, which is cerned about poor economic data that it widely accused of corruption and misman- ordered local organs not to release reports agement. This interview, conducted on without the prime minister’s explicit con- May 27, is the second in the series. sent, Mr. Novak said. Incidentally, the Tymoshenko govern- KYIV – Once an economic advisor to ment decided at the start of the year to Yulia Tymoshenko (in 2005), Andriy adopt European standards of reporting, Novak is now critical of his former boss, releasing economic data on a quarterly viewing her government’s fiscal irrespon- basis instead of monthly. Regardless, the sibility in 2008 as the main cause of data are not available. Ukraine’s current financial crisis, the direct “Therefore it’s very hard for experts and result of the foreign trade deficit reaching average citizens to evaluate the real eco- unprecedented levels. nomic situation, and yet the financial situ- And while the majority of Ukrainian ation and behavior of financial markets economists laid a significant part of the depends on this,” he said. blame for the hryvnia’s plunge on the lead- Mr. Novak, who was advisor also to ership of the National Bank of Ukraine, Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov, is Zenon Zawada particularly Chairman Volodymyr among the most visible figures in Andriy Novak, a former economic advisor to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Stelmakh, Mr. Novak said its supervisory Ukrainian economics, first publishing his says her government’s irresponsible foreign economic policy, which led to record board led by Petro Poroshenko, was ulti- manifesto “How to Lift the Ukrainian trade deficits, was the primary cause of Ukraine’s crisis. mately responsible for the corruption. Economy” in 2006 and currently working Mr. Stelmakh should have resigned for on the book’s third edition. About 9,000 abroad, where they are used to make fin- Ukrainian World Coordinating Council allowing himself to become a hostage to copies of the book’s first two editions have ished products that are eventually imported tapped Mr. Novak to chair the organizing the situation, Mr. Novak commented. been published. back to Ukraine. As a result, Ukrainian committee of the second World Economic Currently, the Ukrainian government is A Kolomyia native, the 36-year-old consumers pay exceptionally high prices Forum of the Ukrainians, planned for still unable to decide which banks will economist has toured Ukraine’s universi- compared with their wealthier European September 27 and 28 in Kyiv. counterparts. receive government refinancing, a matter ties over the past year, giving lectures on It seems that the most controversial In Mr. Novak’s view, Ukraine desper- that most Western countries resolved by his ideas, the essence of which is his pro- subject in Ukrainian economics cur- ately needs to develop corporations that the end of last year. posed Trifunctional Economic Model for rently is the International Monetary can produce finished consumer goods from “Everything is exceptionally concealed Ukraine – producing products, selling Fund (IMF) loans. What is your posi- the nation’s abundant raw materials, both from the public, although the issue is about them and properly dividing the results. tion? Do you support them or not? public finances and government funds,” he Among Ukraine’s key economic prob- industrial and agricultural. said. “It’s obvious that all the same, the lems is that it exports raw materials Last month, the government-sponsored (Continued on page 8) 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24

early as last summer, according to various Citizen activist murdered in Kyiv Plans disintegrate... reports, and the negotiations ebbed and (Continued from page 1) flowed throughout the year. by Yuriy Borysov handcuffs and called the police to report Affairs Ministry. Presidential candidate Arseniy Yatsenyuk the crime. Special to The Ukrainian Weekly In the following days, political observers claimed Ms. Tymoshenko gave him a copy When viewing ICTV’s footage of the speculated about the real reasons Mr. of an amended Constitution, similar to what KYIV – Living near an illegal hydraulic dredge extracting sand, Ms. Mateova told Yanukovych led the Party of Regions in was recently drafted, in September 2008, dredge that sucked tons of sand from the the reporter she recognized a worker as one backing out of the so-called Unity and when he was still the Verkhovna Rada chair. Dnipro riverbed for eventual sale, of her husband’s killers. Rebirth Coalition that was also to include Although long aware that the two politi- Oleksander Honcharov, an average citizen, These same workers stopped showing up the Volodymyr Lytvyn Bloc and a majority cal forces frequently flirted with each other, was concerned about the potential ecologi- at the dredge in the days immediately fol- Kyiv’s political establishment was surprised cal effect on the nearby Zhukiv Island. lowing the murder, said Oleksii Vasyliuk, of Our Ukraine-People’s Self-Defense bloc deputies. when it became apparent in the first days of For two years he led a protest campaign, vice-chair of the National Ecological Center. June that a coalition agreement was immi- alerting Kyiv’s various government authori- Police claim that two days later they The conversations that occurred between the main players, and who they met with, nent. ties, including the City Council, to no avail. arrested workers attempting to dismantle the Among the proposed Constitution’s main He even confronted the workers themselves, hydraulic dredge. Yet the work has since remained unclear. The Russian-owned, Russian-language authors, reportedly is Oleksander demanding to see their permits. resumed without interference from law Zadorozhnyi, who began drafting the docu- In lawless Ukraine, however, where busi- enforcement authorities. Kommersant newspaper, published in Kyiv, reported that Mr. Yanukovych flew to St. ment in February 2008, reported Ukrayinska nessmen routinely get away with murder, Since 2004 the National Ecological Pravda, a leading news website. challenging the interests of big business cost Center has filed more than 600 complaints Petersburg on June 5 for an informal meet- ing with Russian Federation President Mr. Zadorozhnyi is a close associate of Mr. Honcharov his life. with authorities regarding the Zhukiv Island Viktor Medvedchuk, a suspected KGB On May 26, two attackers jumped a fence dredging and other illegal sand-extraction Dmitry Medvedev. Only after the meeting did the pro-Russian opposition leader agent-turned-mega-millionaire who has into his yard and allegedly beat the 58-year- operations, with no response or action. helped Ms. Tymoshenko broker improved become firm in his decision to abandon old Ukrainian to death with a baton. They “All these cases prove lawlessness,” Mr. relations with Russian Prime Minister Putin, coalition talks, reported Kommersant, citing also left his 30-year-old Czech wife hand- Vasyliuk said. who is the godfather of Mr. Medvedchuk’s an anonymous source. cuffed and battered. Indeed digging up free sand, without pay- daughter. (The wife of Russian President The next day, Mr. Yanukovych reportedly So far, one suspect who allegedly ing taxes, and then selling thousands of tons Dmitry Medvedev is the godmother.) met with former Presidential Secretariat ordered Mr. Honcharov’s murder has been for $6 a ton is a profitable business, said When Ukrayinska Pravda asked Ms. Chair Viktor Baloha and had a phone con- arrested, the Ministry of Internal Affairs Andrii Rypinskyi, an activist of the Tymoshenko at a June 9 press conference versation with President Viktor Yushchenko, announced on June 6, without disclosing Korchuvate suburb, where Mr. Honcharov when was the last time she met with Mr. during which the president allegedly tried to his identity or whether he will be prosecut- lived. “Anyone could drive up to a dredge Medvedchuk, the prime minister avoided convince the PRU leader that he could win ed. The killers, however, are still at large, and load a truck for money,” he said. answering the question and dismissed the the presidential election, Kommersant even though the victim’s wife has identi- In his investigation, Mr. Kutyepov “insinuations.” reported on June 10. fied at least one. found two sites where sand was illegally “Once and for all, I am rejecting what Additionally, Mr. Baloha allegedly “I walked into the district police sta- sold and the names of companies involved, you are now asking me, that certain sur- pledged legal, organizational and electoral tion, and that killer was sitting on a bench but declined to reveal them for lack of suf- names are linked to me and the near the entrance,” Monika Mateova told ficient proof. support to Mr. Yanukovych, particularly in Constitution,” she said, stating that the vari- the Gazeta.ua website in an exclusive June Ms. Mateova told Gazeta.ua she is selling the Zakarpattia Oblast, if he agreed to aban- ous Constitutions that were drafted in 2007 4 interview. “I recognized him. He was her property and returning to the Czech don the coalition talks, Kommersant report- and 2008 were the work of a group of advi- smoking and laughing. He wasn’t arrested. Republic, not expecting much help in ed. sors. He said, ‘One step to the police and we’ll Ukraine, “I want to see these killers in pris- During a June 9 press conference, Mr. Zadorozhnyi led this group of advi- kill you.’” on, but I am frightened.” President Yushchenko confirmed that he had sors, Ukrayinska Pravda reported, citing its Ignoring phone threats telling him to The morning of June 4, activists of the a June 6 telephone conversation with Mr. sources. stop his campaign, Mr. Honcharov persist- Protect Old Kyiv civic organization seized Yanukovych to convince him of the possi- President Yushchenko and the nation’s ed in his efforts until the very end, speak- one of the Zhukiv Island hydraulic dredges bility of his “legitimate election.” right-wing forces took to the mass media to ing with ICTV journalist Oleksii Kutyepov and blocked its operation. Mr. Yanukovych and Mr. Baloha didn’t firmly criticize the coalition, calling upon by telephone the very day of his murder. They planned the action to honor Mr. confirm or deny the other reports. Ukraine’s citizens to resist it. Just a few days earlier he led Mr. Honcharov on the ninth day after his death, Citing more anonymous sources within Polls weren’t conducted whether Kutyepov and a cameraman to Zhukiv in accordance with Orthodox tradition, the Tymoshenko Bloc, Kommersant also Ukrainians supported or opposed the coali- Island to show them the illegal operation, demanding that the police arrest and prose- reported that Ms. Tymoshenko traveled to tion, but they did indicate the vast majority which might have been the last straw for the cute Mr. Honcharov’s killers and that Moscow the night of June 9 to meet with opposed among the agreement’s main con- sand-thieving businessmen. authorities take steps to stop all dredges Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a ditions, which was electing the president in “Nothing was taken, so there’s no basis from continuing to steal sand. report dismissed as “complete nonsense” by Parliament. for a robbery,” the reporter told a June 2 Kyiv police chief Vitalii Yarema issued a Natalia Lysenko, a Cabinet of Ministers When the coalition fell through and the press conference to discuss Mr. Honcharov’s June 6 resolution requiring police authorities spokeswoman. smoke cleared, both Mr. Yanukovych and murder. “His wife is frightened and didn’t to take measures stopping all illegal sand Another cited reason for the failed coali- Ms. Tymoshenko distanced themselves from show up for the press conference. She was extraction within Kyiv limits. tion agreement was the inability of both the agreement’s more controversial points. beaten and left alive.” In Mr. Kutyepov’s view, the Honcharov sides to agree on clear principles for their Both denied that they wanted to shift The couple’s 10-year-old daughter, also murder marked a turning point “of who will coalition and on economic anti-crisis mea- electing the president to Parliament – a key named Monika, was home during the day- be left standing and who will fall” in sures. point in their agreement, and each blamed time attack, screaming, “Don’t touch my Ukrainian society, particularly among its No economic crisis plan emerged from the other for making the suggestion. mom” and startling one of the killers. She journalists. the negotiations, and the coalition agreement Ms. Tymoshenko denied even consider- fled and eluded the perpetrators, while Ms. “They killed a hero who called upon took no specific positions on the most sensi- ing extending the term of current members Mateova hid beneath a crane about a thou- journalists, but tomorrow they’ll kill the tive subjects, such as the status of the of Parliament for five years. She also denied sand feet from the home. very journalists themselves,” he said. Russian language and NATO membership. any attempt to enhance the government’s “He left me, saying ‘Lie silent! Soon “This is a test for journalism’s profession- A widely held view among political ability to deny licenses to the mass media. we’ll come for you,’” said Ms. Mateova, alism – to be broken, to back down or to observers is that, ultimately, Ms. Instead, she blamed Mr. Yanukovych for who didn’t explain how she removed her fight to the end.” Tymoshenko and Mr. Yanukovych didn’t what she deemed “exotic” proposals, such trust each other to fulfill a third document requiring all presidential candidates to be being drafted between the two forces, age 50 or older, which would have eliminat- besides the coalition agreement and the ed her and Mr. Yatsenyuk from contention History: made to be rewritten? amended Constitution, reportedly called (Ms. Tymoshenko is 48.). “The Grand Agreement.” Yet, all these points, except for Mr. RFE/RL the view, highlighting political scientist It stipulated cooperation between the Yanukovych’s alleged age requirement pro- Sergei Lebedev’s response to the piece: PRAGUE – Russia’s Defense Tymoshenko Bloc and the Party of Regions posal, were agreed upon in the draft of the “Poland had conducted itself like a lion Ministry offered a novel reinterpretation until 2024, including participation in elec- Constitution submitted to Mr. Lytvyn for his among hyenas.” of history on June 4, announcing in a tions as a single political bloc. bloc’s consideration, and subsequently paper published on its website that The Associated Press reported: The agreement allegedly gave Mr. leaked to Dzerkalo Tyzhnia for all the public World War II was caused by none other “The paper, titled ‘Fictions and Yanukovych the first two terms as president, to see. than the Poles. Falsifications in Evaluating the USSR’s and the second two to Ms. Tymoshenko, The day after her television address, a The research paper was not an offi- Role On the Eve of World War II,’ Ukrayinska Pravda reported. video clip was leaked to the public that cial government statement, but the recounts how in the run-up to “First and foremost, the mega-coalition showed Ms. Tymoshenko preparing for her author, Col. Sergei Kovalyov, is the Germany’s invasion of Poland on fell apart because of the distrust between the announcement informing the nation that the director of the scientific-research depart- September 1, 1939, Hitler demanded leading political players for each other,” said coalition had fallen apart. ment of military history in the ministry’s that Poland turn over control of the city Ihor Zhdanov, president of the Kyiv-based After taking a deep breath, crossing her- Institute of Military History. of Danzig as well as a land corridor Open Politics Analytical Center and a for- self and saying aloud “God help me,” she The Defense Ministry has now dis- between Germany and the territory now mer Our Ukraine advisor. appears ready to speak when the teleprompt- tanced itself from the piece, removing it known as Kaliningrad. “The complicated historical experience, er suddenly has problems. from the site and telling journalists that “ ‘Everyone who has studied the his- personal ambitions and mutual offenses “Everything is lost,” Ms. Tymoshenko it “must not be considered the official tory of World War II without bias knows remain the main factors that distinguish the tells someone off-camera, before shouting in point of view of the Defense Ministry.” that the war began because of Poland’s political configuration in the country,” he Russian to the crew in frustration. “Put it But, Paul Goble, writing in The refusal to satisfy Germany’s claims,’ he said. from the beginning! I don’t have it on the Moscow Times, suggested that “many [Kovalyov] writes. Kovalyov called the Both Mr. Yanukovych and Ms. teleprompter!” Russian historians” are sympathetic to demands ‘quite reasonable.’ ” Tymoshenko entertained the idea of forming The video can be viewed at: http://www. a coalition and amending the Constitution as youtube.com/watch?v=1EGR37bwuYc No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 5 Students recognized for works on Holodomor in Illinois competition by Maria Kulczycky Arts and Writing Contest, was established at the Holocaust Education Center by the CHICAGO – Two students from St. Gershanov family. Leo and Antonia Nicholas Cathedral School in Chicago were Gershanov settled in Chicago after World finalists in a competition held by the Illinois War II and devoted their time and Holocaust Museum and Education Center resources to the fight against discrimina- for their submissions dealing with tion and prejudice. The contest offers Holodomor, the Ukrainian genocide. middle and high school students through- Adriana Chychula, a seventh grader, out Illinois the opportunity to reflect on received third place for her drawing titled the nature of the Holocaust and other “...give us our daily bread...,” and Marianna genocides in their lives. Oharenko, also a seventh grader, received This year’s submissions were reviewed second place for her fictionalized first-per- by a panel of judges that included contest son account of a girl who lost her entire co-sponsor Ann Gershanov and local educa- family to famine titled “Holodomor, tors. The master judge was the Holocaust Surviving an Unforgettable Tragedy.” historian and author Robert Jan Van Pelt. There were 26 submissions from seventh “As always, judging this year’s entries and eighth grade students among the 600 was an enriching, yet difficult process,” said total submissions from middle and high Ann Gershanov. “The student artists and school students throughout Illinois. writers offered incredible insight into how “Our students exhibited a remarkable their generation uses the mirror of the passion and understanding of our great Holocaust and other contemporary geno- national tragedy,” commented Daria cides to further their learning to teach others. Hankewych, the faculty member at St. It was very challenging to select the finalists Nicholas School who guided participation in among so many outstanding entries.” the competition. “We have been teaching This year’s theme, “Memory Keepers – our students about the Holodomor for sever- Transform the Future,” offered students the al years, but it’s particularly significant now chance to create a poem, story, artwork or that Illinois law requires that children are musical composition that demonstrates what made aware of the many genocides in memory of the Holocaust or modern geno- At the awards ceremony for the Illinois Holocaust Museum competition, Board human history.” cide they would use to affect change in their President Sam Harris and Mayor George Van Dusen of Skokie, Ill., congratulate The biennial competition, the Leo and Marianna Oharenko and Adriana Chychula for their winning submissions on the Antonia Gershanov Memorial Student (Continued on page 16) Holodomor.

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NEWS AND VIEWS THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY No “unity,” no “rebirth” A Russian time warp The attempt by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor Yanukovych to form at the United Nations the so-called Unity and Rebirth Coalition resembled two mafia lords hatching the heist of their lifetimes. Had they united their forces and rammed the deal through by Askold S. Lozynskyj very much similar to former Soviet briefings Parliament and the courts, Mr. Yanukovych would have been president for 10 years, at the United Nations, yet taking place Ms. Tymoshenko would have remained prime minister for five years, and all the The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics almost 18 years after the USSR’s demise. I members of the Verkhovna Rada would have stayed on for at least three more years, officially came to an end in December 1991. pointed out that the most egregious Nazi and possibly five. President Boris Yeltsin apparently forgot to collaborators were Stalin and the Soviet When their plans fell through, they ran back to their respective corners and began tell the USSR Permanent Mission to the Union, which signed the Molotov- pointing the finger of blame. U.N. Ribbentrop pact with Hitler 70 years ago “I have always announced, and announce now – the nation’s president should be On May 5, the Permanent Mission of the and then proceed to divide Europe as spoils elected through direct, popular elections,” Mr. Yanukovych said, failing to mention Russian Federation to the United Nations of their collaboration. This union was not that he had agreed with the coalition agreement’s provision to amend the Constitution held a briefing titled “The Outcome and surprising since it was a devil’s pact of two to allow Parliament to elect the president. Lessons of World War II and the Present” at aggressors, both with a litany of cruelty and In Ms. Tymoshenko’s own distorted version of events, “the issue was not about the U.N. headquarters in New York. The a legacy of victims. prolonging the Parliament’s authority, or election of the president in Parliament, or event was opened and presided over by Ilya My intention was not to attempt convinc- any measures to limit the freedom of speech.” Rogachev, deputy permanent representative ing the two main speakers that they were Yet these were all provisions of the coalition agreement that both leaders gave to of the Russian Federation to the United wrong on their assessment of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Chair Volodymyr Lytvyn for his review, and then leaked to the Nations. In his opening remarks Mr. formations and individuals mentioned since media on June 4. Rogachev said: Mr. Rogachev and Mr. Brod were men on a It would have been nice to believe that Mr. Yanukovych and Ms. Tymoshenko “Despite the tragic lessons of World War mission. I did submit to the audience the fact were forming this coalition for the sake of political and economic stability, which II, we oftentimes witness the revival of that Soviet prosecutors at the Nuremberg Ukraine so desperately needs. But their true motivation was power and money. They practices conducive to the escalation of Tribunal, Roman Rudenko and Lev could have locked power in the hands of the oligarchic clans that finance the Party of modern forms of racism, racial discrimina- Smirnov, did not level accusations against Regions of Ukraine (PRU) and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (YTB) for at least five tion and xenophobia. Unfortunately, a num- the aforementioned formations and individ- years, and perhaps even longer. ber of countries have recently been pursu- uals and that the Nuremberg findings do not It’s disturbing that among the proposed Constitution’s authors was Oleksander ing an undisguised policy of presenting as mention these names. Finally, I stressed for Zadorozhnyi, a close associate of Viktor Medvedchuk, who chose Russian Prime heroes those who participated in Nazi Mr. Brod’s benefit that I had reviewed his Minister Vladimir Putin to be godfather to his daughter. crimes; that includes the whitewashing of organization’s website and, based on the It’s even more disturbing that Mr. Yanukovych reportedly made his decision to nix former members of the SS, which was rec- material posted, consider him very much a the coalition after flying to St. Petersburg on June 5 and meeting informally with ognized as a criminal organization by the voice for the Russian government. Should Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. What did Mr. Medvedev tell Mr. Yanukovych Nuremberg tribunal. he and the others be interested in human that led him to change his mind? And what did President Viktor Yushchenko tell Mr. “Quite recently, we have witnessed the rights, I offered copies of Amnesty Yanukovych during their June 6 phone call? Mr. Yanukovych announced his with- profane action or inaction by the Ukrainian International’s country report on Russia’s drawal from negotiations the following morning. authorities, which allowed billboards bear- human rights violations. If the PRU and the YTB truly wanted to take Ukraine in a positive direction, they ing the emblem of the Ukrainian SS divi- Mr. Brod appeared quite taken aback by would have drafted a Constitution that eliminates the current system of elections via sion ‘Galichina’ to be posted on the streets my rebuke, while Mr. Rogachev rebutted, closed party lists, in which voters can choose only a party or a bloc of parties, not an of the city of Lvov. It is well-known that pointing to my inability to comprehend the individual candidate. They would have brought back geographically designated elec- Ukrainian SS members killed Soviet sol- intricacies of Molotov-Ribbentrop, explain- tion districts with single mandates, or a mixed system of proportional representation diers, guerrilla fighters in France and ing that the Soviet Union was buying time. with open electoral lists in which voters select not only a party or bloc of parties, but Yugoslavia, and innocent civilians in In any event, the briefing concluded. also their proposed candidates. Poland, suppressed anti-fascist uprisings in This pro-Soviet performance by repre- In her national address Ms. Tymoshenko said the current political crisis was Slovakia, and executed Jews and sentatives of Russia was not an aberration. caused by the 2004 constitutional reforms that were approved during the Orange Communists in Ukraine by firing squad. In fact, several months back, in October Revolution and went into effect January 1, 2006. “Today in the country, based on the “Open glorification of SS veterans and 2008, Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s permanent current Constitution, no one is held accountable,” she said. “It creates several antago- the Ukrainian Insurgent Army fighters, representative to the U.N. held a press con- nistic and mutually exclusive centers of approving decisions. It causes imbalance in who tainted themselves with the crimes ference at the U.N. press center in New York governing the state, carrying with it chaos, anarchy and a complete absence of own against those who fought in the ranks of disparaging Ukraine’s attempts to inform the responsibility.” the anti-Hitler coalition, declaring notori- world about the Great Famine of 1932-1933. There is much truth to that, considering it was these very reforms that created the ous Nazi Roman Shukhevych as a hero of In the course of his diatribe he attempted to closed-list system, which exists nowhere in Europe and is an abuse of democracy. Ukraine, demolition and desecration of connect Ukraine’s position on the Great Indeed, Ukraine’s Constitution needs amending “to clearly separate the authority monuments to Soviet soldiers are all links Famine with Ukraine’s honoring Roman and responsibility of the president, prime minister and Parliament,” as Ms. of the same chain of practices aimed at Shukvevych, whom Ambassador Churkin Tymoshenko put it. Yet it’s also the people who lead a country that are key. Good re-writing the history of World War II and defamed as a Nazi, with a posthumous Hero leaders are able to work constructively, even under a poorly drafted Constitution. inculcating blatantly pro-fascist ideology of Ukraine award. When confronted, he In the end, poetic justice triumphed when Mr. Yanukovych and Ms. Tymoshenko in the minds of the current and future went on a tirade accusing Ukrainians and parted company. These swindlers – to use President Viktor Yushchenko’s words – generations.” Balts of killing Jews, insisting that Ukraine who gained much of their fortunes through illegal means, couldn’t seal the deal Subsequently he went on to calumniate and the Baltic states voluntarily joined the largely because they don’t even trust each other. the Baltic states and then introduced USSR and concluding by praising the vir- In this case, antagonism and rivalry turned out to benefit the Ukrainian people. Alexander Brod, head of the Moscow tues of the USSR. Bureau for Human Rights and a member of Some bemoan the fact that today the Public Chamber of the Russian Ukraine-Russia relations are at an all-time Federation. Mr. Brod went on to calumniate low. In fact, Prime Minister Yulia June further, adding Stepan Bandera to the list of Tymoshenko has chided President Viktor Turning the pages back... Nazis on the occasion of this being Yuschenko for allegedly causing this condi- Bandera’s anniversary. Two other scheduled tion. Ms. Tymoshenko is wrong. For the first 15 speakers followed with less offensive pre- time in a very long time, Ukraine is a legiti- sentations. mate component in the community of 2006 Three years ago, on June 15, 2006, Viktor Yanukovych A cursory review of the website belong- nations. It has the right to deal with Russia announced that his Party of Regions of Ukraine (PRU) was ing to the Moscow Bureau for Human on an equal footing, not as a subservient vic- close to forming a parliamentary majority with certain mem- Rights reveals that this alleged non-govern- tim. It seems to me that acrimony in bers of the Our Ukraine bloc or the Socialist Party of Ukraine. mental organization, in its statements, speaks Ukraine-Russia relations is a dose of reality Earlier that week, Our Ukraine leaders said they were quitting coalition talks with very much in tandem with the Russian gov- and an opportunity to expose today’s Russia the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and the Socialist Party of Ukraine after intense lobbying ernment position. In fact, one can scarcely for what it is. by Oleksander Moroz for the Verkhovna Rada chairman’s position. find a single statement by this bureau critical The czarist Russian Empire was cruelly It was expected that, if such an agreement were reached, the Our Ukraine bloc of the current regime in Russia. The bureau oppressive. Brute force silenced its victims. would splinter because of the unlikely possibility that all six of the bloc’s member-par- has issued statements, however, rebuking Its successor the USSR was equally hostile ties would agree with the Party of Regions. Ukraine for politicizing the Famine of and criminal, particularly, to the non-Rus- Specifically, business-oriented political parties such as the Party of Industrialists 1932-1933 and has chided the United States sian nations caught within its pernicious and Entrepreneurs led by Anatolii Kinakh and the Our Ukraine People’s Union led by for not repealing the Jackson-Vanik amend- web. The Great Famine, gulags and other Yurii Yekhanurov indicated their willingness to compromise on many issues. ment’s application to Russia. repressions constituted its arsenal. However, the People’s Rukh of Ukraine led by Borys Tarasyuk and the Congress of I managed to get the floor and offered a Today’s Russian Federation is an appro- Ukrainian Nationalists led by Oleksii Ivchenko were unlikely to backtrack on ideologi- somewhat different perspective. Briefly, I priate successor to what President Ronald cal issues, such as official status for the Russian language and recognition of the suggested that this briefing was a time warp, Reagan once termed the “evil empire,” and Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). appropriately holds the Soviet seat at the The Christian-Democratic Union Party led by Volodymyr Stretovych said it would Askold S. Lozynskyj is an attorney United Nations. The fact that it brazenly enter a coalition with PRU only if the coalition agreement explicitly supported based in New York City. He is a former defends Soviet criminality should open president of the Ukrainian World eyes. We Ukrainians have an opportunity to (Continued on page 10) Congress. fight back. No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR faces and places by myron b. kurpoas much more complicated. Until the men in Faces and Places Verveer biography these countries regain their self-respect, they will not respect anyone. What is by Myron B. Kuropas quite incomplete most galling is that President Obama has signed a bill reversing the work of Dear Editor: President George W. Bush that requires I imagine that many Ukrainians were our tax dollars to pay for these abortions. Cui bono in Demjanjuk case? impressed by the treacly article about American citizens should not be required Melanne Verveer by Alexander Kuzma to pay for abortions here or anywhere Cui bono? Who benefits? Who benefits came up with this figure years ago and the (April 26), praising her as our “national else. We have Ms. Verveer and Ms. from the ongoing, seemingly never-ending German press is buying it. treasure.” I think when one takes it upon Clinton to thank for this. Demjanjuk debacle? Where did the idea of displaced persons oneself to inform people about the As far as the assertion by Mr. Kuzma The main beneficiary, of course, is the as war criminals originate? With the achievements of a prominent person, we that Rush Limbaugh’s descriptions of Office of Special Investigations (OSI), Soviets, of course. When the war ended, should get a more truthful and complete these women as “femi-Nazis” impedes that self-aggrandizing, make-work unit of and thousands of refugees in Western biography. the progress for women’s rights, he the Department of Justice that pretends to Europe refused to return to Stalin’s “work- We now know that Ms. Verveer is head couldn’t be more wrong. In my long life hunt for Nazis while spying on East ers’ paradise,” the Soviets were mightily of Vital Voices, received countless awards as a female professional I have found that European American communities, rum- mortified. “How could that be?” the world for her work for women’s rights and has most women (as well as men) would maging about for signs of anti-Semitism, wondered. The escapees had to be “Nazi been named ambassador-at-large for work tirelessly to help abused and relying on Jewish congressional lead- collaborators” and they needed to be women’s issues by President Barack women, but they fear that the femi-Nazis ers to carry their water. returned to the Soviet Union to face Obama. This is a new position that no will destroy them both professionally and OSI director Eli Rosenbaum has suc- “Soviet justice.” The New York Times of doubt must be her reward for supporting socially if they know of their pro-life ceeded in conning Germany into accept- January 24, 1945, agreed, concluding that Mr. Obama among Ukrainians. stance. The “sisterhood” can be mean and ing John Demjanjuk to stand trial for those Soviet nationals who wished to We are not informed that Ms. Verveer vindictive. These pro-abortion activists, being an accessory to the death of 29,000 remain in the West were “collaborationists came to prominence working for Hillary not Mr. Limbaugh, are actually impeding Jews. An “accessory,” mind you, not the who have no claim on the sympathies of Clinton and Madeleine K. Albright. Their progress by their vicious intolerance. actual killer. It’s another OSI swindle, Russia’s Western allies.” main thrust for women’s rights is “abor- Ms. Verveer may be a national treasure similar to the one perpetrated against Responding to Stalin’s demands, codi- tion rights,” despite all the cosmetic for Mr. Kuzma, but not for me! Israel by former OSI directors Allan Ryan fied earlier at Yalta, the British, French changes they describe. Curiously, Mr. Lydia Kossak Kernitsky, D.M.D. and Neal Sher. and Americans instituted “Operation Kuzma does not use the word “abortion” Colts Neck, N.J. Mr. Rosembaum hopes that this time Keelhaul,” forcibly repatriating thousands even once. Why? there will be a conviction, and that the of helpless men, women and children. In Let’s call a spade a spade. Ms. Verveer OSI will be vindicated. Forgotten will be his books “Victims of Yalta” and “The worked tiressly against Robert Bork’s We welcome your opinion judicial rulings in America accusing the Secret Betrayal,” Nikolai Tolstoy esti- nomination to the Supreme Court as well OSI of “perpetrating fraud against the mates that more than 2 million Soviet as Judge William Rhenquist’s appoint- The Ukrainian Weekly welcomes letters courts.” Faded will be memories of the nationals were repatriated. Upon their to the editor and commentaries on a vari- ment as chief justice based simply on OSI withholding exculpatory evidence return, some 20 percent were either exe- ety of topics of concern to the Ukrainian cuted or sentenced to the gulag for 25 their pro-life stance. She was execu- American and Ukrainian Canadian com- during Mr. Demjanjuk’s original trial in tive vice-president for People for the munities. Opinions expressed by colum- Cleveland. years; another 15 percent received sen- American Way, a leading pro-abortion nists, commentators and letter-writers are Not that Mr. Rosenbaum ever really tences of five to 10 years. liberal group. She is closely associated their own and do not necessarily reflect worried about any of this. As long as What does Germany gain from the with the U.S. Catholic bishops and the opinions of either The Weekly edito- Rahm Emanuel, Sens. Dianne Feinstein OSI-orchestrated Demjanjuk circus? If this gives her Catholic credentials. rial staff or its publisher, the Ukrainian and Charles Schumer and Rep. Henry and when the trial actually takes place, She is a member of many Catholic National Association. Waxman are around, he is protected. He’s German prosecutors will follow Israel’s groups that consistently cover up their Letters should be typed and signed (anon- untouchable. Still, it must occasionally example and introduce tons of extraneous pro-abortion stance. Many so-called ymous letters are not published). Letters are sting to know that the OSI is a racket, a and irrelevant history. They will demon- accepted also via e-mail at staff@ukrweek- strate that not only Germans were guilty Catholic organizations are bogus and ly.com. The daytime phone number and rip-off of the American taxpayer. exist to convince Catholics to vote for address of the letter-writer must be given If you’ve been following recent devel- of crimes against Jews. Hungarians, left-wing radicals. This is misleading to for verification purposes. Please note that a opments, you know that the OSI is behind Croatians, Latvians, Estonians, pro-life Catholics and should be chal- daytime phone number is essential in order the narrative that the German press has Lithuanians, Poles, Ukrainians and other lenged. for editors to contact letter-writers regarding adopted concerning the case. In a May 14 nationalities were complicit as well. Left wing radical feminists think that clarifications or questions. Der Speigel posting devoted to the The stage for such a scenario was set by most women’s issues in Third World Please note: THE LENGTH OF LETTERS Demjanjuk case, we read: “Historians and Der Speigel in a May 20 online article titled countries can be solved by abortions. It is CANNOT EXCEED 500 WORDS. legal experts estimate that up to 10,000 “Hitler’s European Holocaust Helpers,” Nazi collaborators emigrated to the United which read: “The Germans are responsible States during the chaos of the first few for industrial-scale mass murder... ACTION ITEM postwar years.” Really? But the collusion of other European This canard was first promoted by countries in the Holocaust has received Allan J. Ryan, OSI director from 1980 to surprisingly little attention until recently. 1983, in his book, “Quiet Neighbors: The trial of John Demjanjuk is set to Ukrainian Genocide curriculum Prosecuting Nazi War Criminals in throw a spotlight on Hitler’s foreign help- ers.” Right. As part of the U.S. Committee for For additional information readers may America.” Like all OSI directors, Mr. Ryan had to justify the existence of an Such disclosures will confirm Ukrainian Holodomor-Genocide contact the UNIS office at 202-547-0018 Moscow’s original claims regarding Awareness of 1932-1933, the New York or via e-mail at [email protected]. (Please agency within the Department of Justice, initiated by Jewish Congressional leaders Ukrainians and Balts, making the Russians State Educators for the Study of the monitor this and other projects of the U.S. another beneficiary in the process. Count Ukrainian Holodomor have been working Committee for Ukrainian Holodomor- to hunt alleged Nazi war criminals living in the United States. on Moscow to crow as the Demjanjuk cir- to amend the New York State education Genocide Awareness of 1932-1933 at Mr. Ryan took a page out of the Soviet cus drags on for months. Another benefit law to include the study of the Ukrainian http://www.ukrainegenocide.org. ) playbook when he wrote: “The Displaced for Moscow will be to turn the world’s Famine-Genocide (Holodomor) in the Persons Act of 1948 was a brazenly dis- attention away from Soviet war crimes. New York State social studies curriculum. Sample letter criminatory piece of legislation, written to The Holodomor will be put on hold. Bills have been introduced by Sen. exclude as many concentration camp sur- Some final questions. What right does Andrea Stewart-Cousins (S3356-A) and The Honorable (Suzi Oppenheimer/ Germany have to try an American of Catherine Nolan) vivors as possible and to include as many Assemblyman Mike Spano (A6690-A) in Baltic and Ukrainian and ethnic German Ukrainian descent who never lived in the New York legislature. These bills New York State (Senate/Assembly) Germany, who allegedly committed war Albany, NY Volksdeutsche as it could get away with... would require the study of the Ukrainian Had Congress tried to design a law that crimes in Poland, whose alleged guilt is Famine-Genocide in New York State pub- would extend the Statue of Liberty’s hand based on an identity card manufactured in lic schools. Dear Chairperson (Oppenheimer/Nolan): to the followers and practitioners of Russia, and who was freed by Israel? The Ukrainian National Information Nazism, it could not have done much bet- Aren’t there enough war criminals living I am writing to request your support of Service (UNIS) encourages the Ukrainian ter than this without coming right out and in Germany? Sure there are, but as Patrick Bill (S3356-A/A6690-A) and move it out community in New York State to contact saying so...” Buchanan pointed out, “the Germans of your Education Committee. This bill the Chairpersons of the Education “How many Nazi perpetrators came to voted an amnesty for themselves in 1969.” would mandate the inclusion of the Committees in the New York State Senate the United States?” asked Mr. Ryan. “No Mr. Rosenbaum and his OSI cohorts Holodomor – the Ukrainian Famine- and Assembly, Suzi Oppenheimer and one knows and no one ever will. All one remain, a fetid, festering carbuncle on the Genocide of 1932-1933, into the social Catherine Nolan, respectively. can do is conjecture. There were 393,000 American body politic. The sooner they studies curriculum of New York State. In Below is a sample letter to the chair- immigrants under the DP Act. If one esti- disappear, the sooner will the Justice 1932-1933 Stalin attempted to extermi- persons. Their support of these bills is mates that only 2.5 percent of that number Department be restored to the rule of law. nate the independently-minded Ukrainian crucial for the curriculum project to push took part in persecution, then nearly Attorney General Eric Holder can make nation by closing the borders of Ukraine 10,000 Nazi war criminals came to America whole again. Will he do it? forward. You may find your legislator by and seizing all food. As a result, 7 mil- America.” So much for the opinions of the logging on to the following websites: lion to 10 million people, including mil- http://www.assembly.state.ny.us or http:// “historians” and “legal experts” mentioned Myron Kuropas’s e-mail address is www.senate.state.ny.us. (Continued on page 10) by Der Spiegel. It’s all “conjecture.” OSI [email protected]. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24

lem to cut budget spending by the portion is gold and precious metals, and half [of 2008]. Already in July the govern- Interview... tranche’s amount for 2009. These aren’t another part is bonds. So the majority of ment brought the foreign trade deficit to (Continued from page 3) such large amounts that it would have the National Bank’s stated reserves are not almost $10 billion. Indeed the general sum of the loans of been impossible to reduce budget spend- liquid, and when the currency crisis Was that the largest? $16 billion (120 billion hrv) seems to be ing. There are a lot of cases in which unfolded, the National Bank simply didn’t planned for four years. It’s a very insignifi- Ukrainian governments have large sums, have enough reserves of real money to Such a negative foreign trade deficit cant sum for an economy the size of for example from the sale of cope. Therefore, if you noticed, the IMF never existed in Ukraine’s history. Ukraine’s [Editor’ note: Ukraine’s Gross Kryvorizhstal, which brought $5 billion decided to extend Ukraine this $16.5 bil- What was the effect? Domestic Product was 951 billion hrv in at the time, and nobody can say where lion loan with extraordinary quickness and The negative balance of payments was 2008]. That’s about $4 billion a year. this money went. So the public relations very quickly distributed the first tranche. It brought to almost 10 percent of GDP, These are amounts which can’t even patch hype of the sale occurred, the funds from understood that the currency blast was which led to limits on the sale of grain as financial gaps that emerged after the finan- Mittal Steel were received, but no one such that it could have led to social support for the currency. Additionally, to cial and currency crisis. knows where they were directed. upheaval. So the first tranche was simply reduce inflation, the [Ukrainian] govern- But the psychological factor, particular- And now we are standing on one knee to extinguish the currency fire. ment began buying imported food prod- ly for foreign investors, that the IMF is before the IMF and taking much fewer The second tranche was used for old ucts, particularly meat. It restricted its own working with Ukraine, has more meaning amounts per year. These tranche amounts debt due this year and social payments, producers, prohibiting them from export- – that Ukraine is among those nations that can’t influence the economy, but for the because Ukraine’s budget is not being ful- ing their products and thereby restricting are interesting for such large international world, for investors and for international filled. The government is announcing that, foreign currency inflows. And with its own financial organizations. This factor is far financial organizations, it’s more important according to its “plan,” it’s even surpass- currency, the government bought imported more important than the actual amounts. that the IMF is working with Ukraine than ing budgetary requirements. The govern- food products. That’s why an artificial cur- As for how the Ukrainian government the actual tranche amounts. ment’s “plan” is one thing, but the real financing needs, for example the State rency deficit was formed in the country uses the IMF tranches, it will bring no Do you share the view that a large Pension Fund, show that budget revenues and that all led to the fall, when the finan- benefit to the economy, because half of the portion of the tranche was used to refi- for the first quarter of 2009 are less than cial crisis began in Ukraine, leading to the funds are being used to cover old debts. nance banks which suffered and were the Pension Fund’s expenditures. largest devaluation in Europe and among thereby rescued, or that they were used Whom is the debt owed? Other gov- Therefore, less was raised for the entire the largest in the world. ernments, or international institutions? for corrupt schemes? budget than what was needed to spend for But how can a deficit in foreign cur- There are various debtors – govern- The first tranche [Editor’s note – $4.5 the Pension Fund alone. rency lead to devaluation? ments, international institutions, the World billion] was entirely used to solve prob- Is this official, or from your sources? After the fall, when the demand Bank. Meaning the time to pay debts is lems on the currency market, or the emerged for foreign currency, everyone, nearing and enough was stolen that this hryvnia’s devaluation. At least the National This is not official. But based on reve- under the pressure of the financial crisis, year debts still need to be paid. Therefore, Bank of Ukraine announced that at the nues reported on treasury accounts, it’s wanted to protect themselves from harm. half the tranche is being used to cover moment of the crisis’ beginning, it had $35 apparent that budget revenues are less than Wealth could be protected by buying hard these debts. And the other half is practical- [billion] or $37 billion in reserves. But I Pension Fund spending alone. Half of the think the larger part of these reserves tranche is to cover social spending, above foreign currencies. So the rush onto the ly being used to cover the budget’s currency market led to the hryvnia’s sharp [Editor’s note: known as gold-currency all pension expenses. Many are saying this required social spending to prevent any devaluation. We have a unique situation in reserves, or foreign exchange reserves] and it’s real, which is why the second, social breakdown, or at least postpone it. Ukraine – the hryvnia-dollar exchange rate was simply not liquid. It was in govern- third and even a fourth tranche will be Therefore, these tranches are practically can fluctuate, but the hryvnia-euro ment bonds. I heard information that a used for social spending. being entirely spent. The money is not exchange rate can be at almost the same large part of these bonds were Georgian, being used to develop the real economy. But look, when the first tranche was level. It’s simply a stereotype among which are not liquid [Editor’s note: liquid- So far the tranches are being used solely given, it’s said the devaluation only Ukrainians – they favor the dollar for hard ity refers to the ease with which an asset is for patching financial gaps and budgetary accelerated afterwards … currency and view it as more convenient. traded]. Georgia couldn’t pay Ukraine at problems. So these tranches offer nothing Even after the euro’s introduction, the dol- that moment if Ukraine needed to sell That’s a whole other issue of how the for economic development. lar declined against the euro by half, yet these bonds. National Bank acted on the currency mar- Could we have done without them? the hryvnia remained stable at 5.05 [hrv So the sum is there, but a part is in vari- ket. During the first 10 days of the curren- Obviously yes, by cutting budget spend- per $1]. ing. I think it wouldn’t have been a prob- ous currencies in various banks. Another cy crisis in Ukraine, the National Bank took a wait-and-see position, believing that Tymoshenko accused the National these were insignificant fluctuations and Bank of speculating on the hryvnia... they would extinguish themselves. It did nothing, and the hryvnia devalued. You She was forced to make these accusa- remember that the rate was 4.6 hrv per $1 tions in order to shift the blame. The [in the summer] and the exchange rate National Bank slept for 10 days, and that grew higher than 10 hrv per $1. was its mistake. But the National Bank is After 10 days, the National Bank under- not responsible for the country having a stood that something needed to be done on negative balance of payments of $10 bil- the currency market, it began to intervene, lion, at 10 percent of GDP. That’s the gov- ernment’s foreign economic policy. The but the wave was already too large. Even National Bank was a hostage to the situa- after it began to intervene, the exchange tion when the currency market was rushed. rate grew to more than 10 hrv per $1. It’s another matter that it had to react Currently the government and the National instantly, rather than falling asleep for 10 Bank are shouting that they stabilized the days. hryvnia, calling it a stabilization and strengthening of the hryvnia. So the economy and finance ministers Truly, this is stabilization from the fact were responsible? that the income of Ukrainians has fallen The economy minister decides almost very sharply, particularly wages. Nominal nothing. For Ukraine, he’s a mute and incomes have fallen by a third, or 35 per- prognosticator, gives out a few licenses cent, and real incomes by a quarter, or 25 and permits, but practically has no direct percent. Plus a large number of citizens influence on economic policy. The finance were sent on mandatory leaves at their minister forms the budget primarily. The own cost in the first quarter. So people prime minister decides on permits or bans don’t have income and are living off their on imports or exports. He signs them. savings. So the real amount of money is so These ministries are merely executors. meager that they don’t have anything to Remember that at the start of the crisis, buy [foreign] currencies with. It’s the same there was a very large conflict between the situation among businesses. Industrial out- government and the National Bank as to put has fallen by a third. The construction who was responsible. The government industry fell by 52 percent. With such said the National Bank was conducting declines, of course, enterprises don’t have some unintelligible operations, and the funds to even handle their sales. They National Bank blamed the government. don’t have anything to buy [foreign] cur- The IMF reconciled them, posing the ques- rencies with. tion point-blank: either take responsibility So the demand for currency declined as a single government and we will give and the hryvnia strengthened. It’s not from you credit, or we won’t extend credit to anything the National Bank did. Hryvnia- the government and National Bank sepa- denominated incomes have fallen so much rately. We are extending Ukraine credit among citizens and businesses that they because it’s Ukraine’s government debt. don’t have the ability to buy themselves It was the very strict position of the foreign currencies. IMF, whose money they couldn’t have Why was the hryvnia devalued in avoided at that moment, which removed October-November? the mutual, public accusations between the government and National Bank, though It was caused by the government’s very unwise foreign economic policy in the first (Continued on page 9) No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 9

that you can execute it in any situation. It’s tive step, and resign. Interview... a manipulative technology to go to a press What else needs to be done? (Continued from page 8) conference and say, “We are executing the “To this day, not reconciling them. revenue plan,” but not the actual revenues. Approve an anti-crisis program. It To a large extent, I think the government there aren’t any doesn’t exist. It must be developed What are your thoughts about this was counting on pre-term presidential between the government and the National year’s budget, and how is it related to elections, which were supposed to occur in real anti-crisis Bank. It can’t be only the government’s the crisis? Did it worsen the crisis? late October, in order to hold on for this program, or only measures of the National If you remember, the budget was passed period and at the end of the year – what programs. Not Bank. It must be a common document of during the final days of last year. The will be, will be. That didn’t happen, and a single branch both institutions that implement economic Verkhovna Rada applauded loudly and now it’s harder for the government to hold policy. The program should be planned joyfully that it passed the budget, but it on until the end of the year. of government is for no less than three years, until 2011. I was passed apriori, based unrealistic mac- have my own version of anti-crisis mea- One economic indicator that is dis- sures. roeconomic indicators which the govern- turbing is the gradual decline in foreign proposing any ment planned for 2009 – GDP growth of exchange reserves of about $20 billion realistic budget For example? They say that instead 0.9 percent and low [annual] inflation of since the summer to about $24.5 billion of putting out fires, structural reforms 9.5 percent. The first quarter showed that currently. amendments – not are necessary. You’re a big proponent this is an absolutely unrealistic budget, of that. based on macro-indicators. The president said only $14 billion, or the Cabinet, the During a crisis, there is a need to review even $12 billion, will be left in the That’s absolutely necessary because the state’s budget spending for cuts. That National Bank’s gold-currency reserves by Parliament or the the results of the crisis once again proved is why there is a pressing need to not even the end of the year. that Ukraine has an absolutely outdated economic system that doesn’t conform to introduce budget amendments, but to form What will that mean? president.” a new crisis budget in new crisis condi- its era. Above all, metallurgy and chemis- tions and realities that takes into account If a positive foreign trade balance is – Economist try must be developed. These branches industrial declines. maintained, or even-level trade, it won’t be suffered the most during the crisis. Other than that, Ukraine needs at long a danger. But if imports will continue to Andriy Novak And the single branch of the Ukrainian last anti-crisis measures, and the national significantly outweigh exports, then the economy that not only didn’t decline, but budget is an important element in realizing latest risks will emerge, primarily for the even showed small growth, was agricul- these measures. To this day, there aren’t hryvnia’s further devaluation. ture, which grew about 2 percent [in the Yes. A large financial speculation, or any real anti-crisis programs. Not a single first quarter]. What does this tell us? Reserves haven’t been this low for a corruption if you will, occurred. branch of government is proposing any Regardless of the Ukrainian government, long time. which gives the impression it is intention- realistic budget amendments – not the You’re sure of that? ally destroying the Ukrainian village, Cabinet, the Parliament or the president. It’s been a very long time, and you need It’s obvious. There’s not even a discus- agriculture survived all the same, it con- There’s criticism that it needs to be amend- to compare it with Gross Domestic Product sion. tinues to survive and even grew during ed, but no one is offering realistic propos- levels. GDP is larger than 10 years ago, yet the crisis. als. It’s impossible to find logic in the these gold-currency reserves of $12 to $14 But other economists say Stelmakh Ukrainian government’s economic mea- billion are at the level of eight to 10 years and [National Bank First Vice-Chair Are competent leaders lacking? sures. The logic is more along the lines of ago. But the economy’s volume was sig- Oleksander] Savchenko are responsi- ble ... We can’t say that experts are lacking “svii-chuzhyi” [ours-not ours]. We give to nificantly lower then. altogether. But experts don’t decide poli- ours, but not to others. What do you think is the best way to They were hostages to the situation. In cy. They simply execute it. We’ve had If the budget doesn’t reflect reality, brake the crisis and return the economy Stelmakh’s place, I would have simply several good finance ministers, but they then what will happen? on to the right path? voluntarily resigned, and that’s it. If you merely carry out policy. The prime minis- don’t control the situation and can’t influ- ter tells them that one-half goes to the The government is currently operating To be frank, the strongest step would be ence it, then acknowledge, declare it pub- budget, the other half goes into pockets. by the “fill in the gaps” method. There’s a for the government to resign. There can’t licly, which would be an even more posi- problem – it’s necessary to pay pensions. be a better signal for the market than the (Continued on page 10) Then all budget revenues are practically resignation of the government that brought directed towards this payment. If funds are the economic crisis to such depths as in lacking, then the issue involves obtaining Ukraine. ìÍ‡ªÌҸ͇ ëÔÓÚÓ‚‡ ñÂÌÚ‡Îfl funds from the IMF or World Bank, or ÄÏÂËÍË È ä‡Ì‡‰Ë floating government bonds. So the govern- That’s the president and prime min- ister? ment’s principle is, above all, covering the Ukrainian Sports Federation necessary social spending as much as it Our economic government consists of of USA and Canada and KLK can. Budgetary development projects two branches – tax and budget [fiscal] pol- aren’t an issue today because their required icy belongs to the Cabinet, and the money- financing is delayed until at least the end credit policy [monetary] belongs to the USCAK - EAST 2009 and KLK of the year. National Bank of Ukraine. The president Tennis Tournament But it’s evident the government already doesn’t have direct economic authority or Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles can’t fulfill all its social payments. For levers. example, the Ministry of Education ordered teachers to submit statements But he could have at least dismissed Dates: June 27 - 28, 2009 requesting two weeks of unpaid leave for [National Bank Chair] Volodymyr Place: Soyuzivka Heritage Center, Kerhonkson, NY Stelmakh, which was widely called for. spring recess in most regions. So the gov- Starting Times: Singles will start 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 27th. ernment can’t even pay two weeks of He didn’t do this, but the fact of the Doubles will start 1 p.m. on Saturday. teachers’ meager salaries, which testifies matter is I don’t think the National Bank to very big problems in fulfilling the state Entry: Advance registration is required for singles. Entry fee is $30 per adult individual or chair decides all that much, because we a doubles team, $10 of which will be donated to Soyuzivka for tennis court repair and budget. I think we’ll really feel what social have a unique national bank in the form of maintenance. Entry fee for junior players is $15. upheaval is once the government is unable its supervisory council, led by [Petro] Send registration form including the fee to: to pay pensions. Poroshenko. If you examine the list of George Sawchak That might happen this year? supervisory council members, you will see 724 Forrest Ave., Rydal, PA 19046 representatives from all the political forc- (215) 576-7989 In theory, we can expect it some time es, including [Arseniy] Yatsenyuk, [Vasyl] Singles registration must be recieved by June 20th. Doubles teams may register at during the second half of the summer. Horbal, the former mayoral candidate of Soyuzivka by 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 27th. Do not send entry form to Soyuzivka. By the way, it is believed that the Party of Regions of Ukraine, and Rules: All USTA and USCAK rules for tournament play will apply. Tymoshenko is re-writing various budget Socialists as well. Participants must be Ukrainian by birth, heritage or marriage. deficits and revenue shortfalls from the The supervisory council has access to Players may enter up to two groups of either singles or doubles. first quarter to the fourth quarter. Do you primary sources of information that is Awards: Trophies will be presented to winners and finalists in each group. think this is happening? What other manip- gathered – for example, what the National Host Club: KLK, USCAK Tennis Committee will conduct the tournament. ulations are being performed? Bank will do on the currency markets. All The government is currently using such these people are owners of large capital. Registration Form manipulation technologies. It is executing Of course, being privy to primary sources Make checks payable to KLK the budget, not on a quarterly schedule, of information of what the National Bank but by the so-called “government plan” – Name Phone No. E-mail plans to do, undoubtedly these people who the “government’s plan” on budget spend- own enormous capital simply speculated ing and revenue. The “government plan” is Address on the currency market during the crisis some kind of document which can be approved but is not required to conform to and profited on credit. Group Men Men 45’s Men 65’sBoys Age Group real quarterly budgetary needs. The prime Who did this? minister claims the government is exceed- Women Sr. WomenGirls Age Group Members of the supervisory council ing its budget revenue plan. But it’s not like Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk, Horbal and Doubles Partner Mixed Doubles Partner surpassing its budget revenue, but some others. Just look at the list of its members internal government plan for budget reve- ... nue. USCAK EAST 2009 The “plan” can be formed in such a way [Dmytro] Firtash’s Nadra ... 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24

lapse of the Russian ruble in 1998, which one who was making exorbitant profits, Interview... dragged the hryvnia down with it. Though took too many risks, and created an “… the strongest (Continued from page 9) there weren’t any economic preconditions excessively risky asset. Now he’s burned And the finance minister has to carry out for the hryvnia’s collapse, the psychologi- and I’m supposed to rescue him? A bank step [to brake the everything. cal factor led people to rush exchange is a commercial structure with the goal of A telling example was [former Finance booths which led to the hryvnia’s decline earning profit a quickly as possible and as crisis] would be Minister Viktor] Pynzenyk. He was a good in 1998, though half as much as the much as possible. Where will he go with minister because he hoped that she truly ruble’s fall. this money? Where there’s fast money – for the govern- wanted to do something good and knows And now, when at the end of 2008 the speculating on the currency market. Of ment to resign. how. But when he saw that he would a devaluation was more than 100 percent, those 44 billion hrv, very little will go minister during inadequate and ineffective the loss of faith in the national currency into the real economy, because you don’t There can’t be a measures, he stated this and pointed out was very large. It’s necessary to restore gain quick or large profit there. this trust. Firstly, a complete ban is need- the dangers. I believe that was the right This is money that is given to bankers better signal for ed on deposits, loans and insurance in position, which Stelmakh should have according to the “svii-chuzhyi” (not ours) foreign currencies. All financial opera- taken. principle. Ours receive, while the others the market than tions must take place exclusively in hryv- are chased out. This process of recapital- But he didn’t sign his statement. He ni, other than those foreign-economic, ization in Ukraine is a “deryban” [editor’s the resignation of released it anonymously. because if all other currencies are in free note: the Ukrainian term for corrupt gov- the government Anonymously. He was politically circulation in Ukraine, then the question ernment giveaways] on a national scale. dependent. His party was taken into the emerges of why do we have a national If we complained about derybanchyks in currency? What is it for? that brought the [Tymoshenko] bloc, into the Parliament, the past, then 44 billion is enormous, and made him a minister, meaning he was But isn’t that the case now? practically a third of the budget, which is economic crisis to politically dependent and politically civil. earmarked for rescuing a few dozen bank- No. Ukrainians can borrow money and ers. such depths as in Though what civility can we have when open savings deposits in foreign curren- the entire country is rolling downhill? cies. On the cash real estate market, most Are these funds from the state bud- Ukraine.” He didn’t personally sign the state- transactions take place in foreign curren- get or the IMF? ment, but everyone knows, and I person- cies. If a national currency exists, then all These are budget funds. The govern- – Economist ally know his style of laying things out, banking operations on our territory should ment already announced it will sell gov- his sentences, and he wrote it. Stelmakh be exclusively in our currency. If you ernment bonds, which the National Bank Andriy Novak should have done the same – show the want to buy something abroad, then you will buy. I think it will buy them by print- real picture. If he has very great courage, go on the currency market and buy your- ing money, primarily. name the people who speculated on the self the foreign currency. When you can’t dential campaign. Isn’t it dangerous for inflation to currency market. conduct any banking transactions in other Undoubtedly, there’s a real set of data. issue government bonds? Why is the government concealing currencies, then trust is forced to return. But interpreting and commenting on them economic data, and is that appropri- There’s no alternative. Without the If this money went into the real econo- is another matter. So far, pensions are ate? monopolization of the hryvnia on my, then of course the inflation lag would being paid, but the question is how ... Ukraine’s domestic banking market, have extinguished itself. Since it goes And at what expense? From the political position of the gov- restoring faith in the hryvnia will be very directly to the banks, which will take this ernment’s leader, it’s appropriate because difficult, almost unrealistic. money to the currency and stock markets, They are being paid at the expense of she considers herself the president and if A second step is establishing order in then of course it poses a very large risk of many other programs that are supposed to she revealed the real economic indicators, Ukraine’s banking sector, which has been encouraging inflation in Ukraine, as well be financed by the state budget. That the it would immediately cut her poll ratings very liberal. A few million dollars or as large fluctuations in the currency mar- prime minister concentrated her attention in half. That Ukraine’s economic crisis is euros was all that was necessary to create ket. on this, and that the government scrupu- the worst in Europe – and among the and open a bank. It’s 10 million currently. lously is fulfilling pension obligations worst in the world – that’s a mark of the We are currently witnessing a battle tells us that they selected pensions as the Any businessman of a slightly higher of statistics. The president said in late government’s work. For her own cause, level could afford that amount. So the criteria for crisis. If we’re paying pen- the prime minister’s concealment is good. April the State Pension Fund has a $1.7 sions, then that means everything is fine. process of launching banks in Ukraine billion deficit. A week later, its chair But for the country, undoubtedly not. Pensions are so much a fundamental was too liberal and now, during the finan- said the Fund had an excess of 4.7 per- social payment that if the government Many investment banks and busi- cial crisis, we are reaping the fruits of cent, without naming a figure. What’s can’t even fulfill them, then we have nessmen are holding roundtables and that. The majority of Ukrainian banks are the real situation? conferences to discuss when the crisis either bankrupt or close to it, unable to returned to the middle of the 1990s, when will end and when investment will pay back deposits. And like any bank- Publishing financial and economic data Ukraine owed a multi-billion dollar debt return. It seems that won’t happen for ruptcy, it should be declared so and put completely depends on where people are in paying pensions and wages, particular- sitting. Of course, the government wants a while. People have lost their trust and on sale. ly to miners. to publish positive figures to show the we know that it’s very difficult to And do you expect this again? Or refinanced? situation is not critical, that everything is regain it. What do you think? I believe the procedure of refinancing fine and plans are being fulfilled or I think a lot will depend on whether Renewing trust will be very difficult in banks, which is popular throughout the exceeded. The opposition and the the government will attract foreign Ukraine, because the history of the world, and recapitalization can’t be done Presidential Secretariat are trying to show resources, because it’s apparent that bud- hryvnia in it of itself is very difficult. It under any circumstance in Ukraine. the real picture, because the presidential get revenues won’t be able to cover even was very shiningly introduced in 1996 Under no circumstance. The government campaign has begun. All these mutual the guaranteed social payments of the during a decline in GDP and a very deep and the National Bank earmarked 44 bil- accusations are an element of the presi- national budget. economic crisis. The process of introduc- lion hrv [$5.9 billion] for re-financing. ing the hryvnia was lustrous. During two What does this mean? It means that 44 months and without any problem, the billion hrv of taxpayer money are paying national currency was introduced. The 50 or 60 bankers and rescuing them. Ukrainian Genocide... would go a long way toward rectifying exchange rate was stable until the col- Why should I, a taxpayer, rescue some- this inequity. (Continued from page 7) I urge you to make every effort to lions of children, were deliberately facilitate the passing of Bill (S3356-A/ starved to death. A6690-A). As a champion of democracy, As a member of the large Ukrainian the United States must bring to light the community in New York state, I am very crimes of totalitarianism as part of its interested in seeing this bill pass in the struggle to end oppression in all corners New York State legislature. In fact, many of the world. New Yorkers wonder why a genocide of this magnitude is not being taught in our – submitted by the Ukrainian National state school system. Passing this bill Information Service

the PRU, and declared that such a coali- Turning the pages... tion had already been in the making and (Continued from page 6) attacked Our Ukraine for its betrayal of Ukraine’s membership in the European the Orange Revolution. Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Ms. Tymoshenko reiterated her stance that her bloc would never unite with the Organization. Party of Regions, and its union with Our Socialist Party of Ukraine leader Yosyp Ukraine would benefit Ukraine’s elite Vinskyi said the party’s leadership would businessmen at the expense of its com- not sign a formal agreement with PRU, mon people. but didn’t rule out the possibility that some of his party deputies would join a Source: “Party of Regions reported to coalition with PRU. be close to forming majority coalition in Ms. Tymoshenko denounced the news Rada,” by Zenon Zawada, The Ukrainian that Our Ukraine was open to talks with Weekly, June 18, 2006. No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 11 Executives of Ukrainian national TV visit Chicago by Vera Eliashevsky Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics. In addition, Orysia Cardoso, president CHICAGO – After taking part in the of the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, conference of Ukrainian Journalists of greeted Messrs. Ilaschuk and Chernyuk at North America held at Soyuzivka on May an informal meeting where members of 15-17, Vasyl Ilaschuk, president, and Chicago’s Ukrainian community had Andrij Chernyuk, vice president, of gathered to meet with the guests and had National Television Company of Ukraine, an opportunity to discuss current affairs Channel 1, traveled to Chicago to attend in Ukraine. several meetings arranged for them by the Maria Klimchak, who operates the Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities “Ukrainian Wave” program on Radio International. WSBC 1240 AM in Chicago, and Oksana On May 20 meetings were held at the Chuyko, who operates “Ukrainian Chicago ABC-TV Network WLS with Independent Radio” on 750 AM in General Manager Emily Barr and Vice- Chicago, co-hosted the event. President and News Director Jennifer Since 1991 Chicago and Kyiv have Graves. Ideas regarding management, enjoyed a close partnership as sister cit- technology and programming were ies. Over the years, the committee has Vera Eliashevsky exchanged and the visitors had a chance engaged in several exchanges between to view the studio and operations of the WLS-ABC 7 News Co-Anchors Sylvia Perez and Hosea Sanders with Vasyl Kyiv and Chicago, particularly in the Ilaschuk, president of the National Television Company of Ukraine. television station. Mr. Ilaschuk, who had areas of education, culture and medical been a TV anchor in Ukraine for over 20 initiatives. years, felt much at home during the visit. In 2009 the two cities partnered to launch A meeting was also held with Dorothy the first electronic library in Ukraine Coyle, director of the Chicago Office of through a partnership with the Kyiv Tourism. Discussions were held on how Committee and Chicago’s Northwestern Chicago is promoted and has grown to University to give Ukrainian students access become not only a business destination, but to world’s digitized network of academic also an international tourist city. Each year, and research information. 48 million tourists visit the city of Chicago. In an official capacity, Chicago Mayor Based on the Chicago/Kyiv sister cities Richard M. Daley traveled to Kyiv in relationship, it was agreed to continue to 2005 to meet with business, government, explore opportunities for collaborative proj- educational and religious leaders, and in ects. Ukraine’s Channel 1 will start by fea- April, Chicago welcomed Vice-Mayor turing segments about Chicago in Ukraine. Yevhen Chervonenko for the first-ever This enhanced reputation of showcas- “Chicago Global Cities Forum,” where ing Chicago to its international partners municipal leaders from nearly 30 coun- holds the promise of sustainable benefits tries met in Chicago to discuss today’s for the city, and comes at a critical time in most critical urban issues. During a get-together in Chicago (from left) are: Maria Klimchak, “Ukrainian Wave Radio,” and member, Chicago Kyiv Sister City Committee, Vasyl Ilaschuk, president, National Television Company Ukraine, Channel 1; Emily Barr, presi- Librarians of Ukraine and N.Y. share dent and general manager, WLS (ABC 7) Chicago; Vera Eliashevsky, chair, Chicago Kyiv Sister City Committee; and Andrij Chernyuk, vice-president, experience through Open World program National Television Company of Ukraine. IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. – Open World nied by an English speaking facilitator leaders from Ukraine arrived in also from Ukraine. Irondequoit on Saturday, April 25, for a Open World participants included: weeklong program to promote mutual Nataliya Dida, Luhansk Regional understanding between American and Scientific Library; Lyudmyla Halitsyna, Ukrainian librarians. editor, Educational Management; The Irondequoit-Poltava Sister Cities Yaroslava Khimich, State Academy for organization had planned a program to Cultural and Arts Executives; Olena promote mutual understanding and share Turkina, Window on America, Poltava ideas about library services in the United Oblast Library; Valentyna Volynets, Kyiv States. Participants included highly moti- Polytechnic Institute Scientific and vated Ukrainian public and academic Technical Library; and Krystyna librarians and the staff members of Dobrovolska, facilitator. Window on America Centers opened in Managed by the independent program regional libraries in Ukraine under the Leadership Center at the Library of U.S. government’s Window on America Congress, Open World is designed to (American Corners) Program. enhance understanding and capabilities Five librarians, including one represen- for cooperation between the United States tative from Poltava, Irondequoit’s Sister and the countries of Eurasia and the City in Ukraine, participated in the pro- fessional and cultural exchange accompa- (Continued on page 16)

Open World program participants and their hosts during a visit with the Irondequoit Town Council and Town Supervisor Mary Ellen Heyman (seated, center). 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24 No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 13

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For more information, call 845-626-5641 In the event Soyuzivka has no vacancies, or visit www.soyuzivka.com contact the nearby Hudson Valley Resort at 888-9-HUDSON Shuttle service will operate between Soyuzivka and the Hudson Soyuzivka Heritage Center Valley Resort Saturday throughout the day until 1 A.M. 216 Foordmore Rd PO Box 529 For bus service from Brighton Beach to Soyuzivka, Kerhonson, NY 12446 contact New Tours Agency at 718-934-7644 Email: [email protected] www.newtours.us 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24

rent Parliament’s powers for five years NEWSBRIEFS and the restriction of work by certain CLACLASSSSIFIEDIFIEDSS (Continued from page 2) media. (Ukrinform) the president. Party leader Viktor Parliament sacks defense minister TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL MARIA OSCISLAWSKI (973) 292-9800 x 3040 Yanukovych said in a televised address to OR E-MAIL [email protected] the Ukrainian people on June 7: “People KYIV – With an overwhelming major- should believe that the head of state does ity of 363 votes, the Verkhovna Rada on all he can to improve the lives of all citi- June 5 dismissed Defense Minister Yurii SERVICES PROFESSIONALS zens, so that Ukraine revives economical- Yekhanurov, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service ly and has prospects for the future. The reported. The deputies who overwhelm- mandate of such trust can be received ingly supported the vote were from the only in national elections.” Mr. opposition Party of Regions, Prime Yanukovych said that constitutional Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s bloc, and amendments would be introduced after the Communist Party. Mr. Yekhanurov, a nationwide presidential elections. He also former prime minister himself, was not described speedy talks in the Parliament’s present during the vote, as he was partici- corridors as a “step back from democra- pating in a session of the National cy.” “It’s necessary to speed up reforms, Security and Defense Council. “This is but not by restricting the rights of citi- petty revenge against the president,” said zens,” he said. Mr. Yanukovych said that Ihor Popov, the Ukrainian president’s rep- during their talks the PRU and the YTB resentative in the Verkhovna Rada. “As had gained invaluable experience in seek- far as I remember, according to the ing compromises that will be used after Constitution, it is the president who nom- elections. “It’s possible to save Ukraine inates and dismisses the defense minister. only by uniting all, without exception, Therefore, we will definitely examine participants in the political process,” he whether this procedure has been violat- said. (Ukrinform) ed.” Ms. Tymoshenko initiated the dis- missal of Mr. Yekhanurov two weeks ago YTB to submit its draft constitution after accusing him and his ministry of KYIV – The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc financial improprieties. (RFE/RL) (YTB) is planning to submit its draft of Acting defense minister is named constitutional amendments for consider- ation by the Verkhovna Rada on June KYIV – The Ukrainian government 10-11, the leader of the bloc’s parliamen- has dismissed Valerii Ivaschenko as vice- tary faction, Ivan Kyrylenko, said on June minister of defense minister and appoint- 9. He said that this bill did not contain ed him as first vice-minister of defense. any proposals to extend the powers of the The decision was taken at an extraordi- current Parliament for several years or to nary government meeting on June 5. have the Parliament elect the president. Thus, Mr. Ivaschenko has begun serving “You know that we support a parliamen- as acting defense minister. (Ukrinform) tary form of government where the key GEORGE B. KORDUBA post is that of prime minister,” he added. Secretariat: dismissal was revenge Counsellor at Law The Party of Regions of Ukraine and the KYIV – The vote in the Verkhovna Emphasis on Real Estate, Wills, Trusts and Elder Law Tymoshenko Bloc had previously dis- Rada for the dismissal of Yurii Ward Witty Drive, P.O. Box 249 cussed their joint draft of constitutional Yekhanurov as defense minister was a MONTVILLE, NJ 07045 amendments. (Ukrinform) “minor political revenge,” the president’s Hours by Appointment Tel.: (973) 335-4555 President says he persuaded Yanukovych representative in Parliament, Ihor Popov, said on June 5. He noted that today in KYIV – Ukrainian President Viktor Ukraine “ministers are being dismissed Yushchenko said he had a number of talks not due to their activity or inactivity, but with Party of Regions of Ukraine leader because it’s necessary to demonstrate Viktor Yanukovych regarding the inexpe- something, frighten somebody and take diency for the PRU and the Yulia revenge on somebody.” (Ukrinform) Tymoshenko Bloc to unite in order to amend the Constitution of Ukraine. Mr. President: dismissal politically motivated Yushchenko said at a press conference on KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko June 9 that he had phoned Mr. said that the Verkhovna Rada’s decision of Yanukovych several times, persuading June 5 to dismiss Defense Minister Yurii MERCHANDISE him that the only way of coming to power Yekhanurov is a purely politically motivat- FOR RENT was through legal means. Mr. Yushchenko ed step, the president’s press secretary, also said that he had sent his envoy to the Iryna Vannykova, reported on June 9. She PRU and the YTB to explain to them that said that the Parliament was not interested presidential elections should be direct, in pressing problems of the Ukrainian LvivRentals.com and that both political forces could not army and added that such a decision was a deprive the people of their right to make planned political step to settle scores with from $59 per night this selection. “I had a firm position, and Mr. Yekhanurov. Ms. Vannykova said that I knew that the key to this situation was President Yushchenko viewed the in my hands,” the president said, adding Parliament’s decision as the continuation that this could have had an effect on Mr. of the government’s campaign of “vacant OPPORTUNITY Yanukovych’s decision to end any talks posts.” She recalled that the country still on the creation of a broad coalition and remains without finance and foreign affairs the introduction of constitutional amend- ministers. She quoted Mr. Yushchenko as EARN EXTRA INCOME! ments. He said that the PRU’s refusal to saying that the defense minister’s dismiss- form an anti-state coalition had proved al would not influence the activity of ser- The Ukrainian Weekly is looking the existence of a strong democracy in vicemen, and that they would remain dis- for advertising sales agents. Ukraine. (Ukrinform) ciplined. “Destructive political decisions For additional information contact PM says Yushchenko disrupted talks will not harm the activity of the Ukrainian Maria Oscislawski, Advertising army,” Ms. Vannykova stated. (Ukrinform) KYIV – Ukrainian Prime Minister Manager, The Ukrainian Weekly, Yulia Tymoshenko said she is confident Ukraine seeks apology from Russia (973) 292-9800, ext 3040. that President Viktor Yushchenko disrupt- KYIV – The Presidential Secretariat ed talks on the creation of a broad coali- stated that it hopes Russia will apologize tion. She said at a press conference on for statements on the inability of June 9 that coalition talks had been held Ukraine’s Naftohaz to pay for gas, the with all parliamentary factions, not only president’s commissioner for internation- with the Party of Regions faction. Ms. al energy security, Bohdan Sokolovskyi, Tymoshenko said that the goal of a broad said at a briefing on June 5. “After the coalition was the stabilization of the polit- payment [for Russian gas consumed in ical and economic situation in Ukraine May] is made, we have grounds to hope amid the global financial crisis. She that the Russian side will make apologies denied reports in the media that constitu- for its ill-considered, inappropriate and tional amendments considered by the humiliating statements against Ukraine Tymoshenko Bloc and the Party of Regions foresaw the extension of the cur- (Continued on page 15) No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 15

Euro 2012 European Football Previously, these offenses were not pun- causes an annual loss of 90 billion hrv NEWSBRIEFS Championship. The head of state sent a ished with imprisonment, but only with from the national budget. Mr. Yushchenko (Continued from page 14) letter to the Parliament, which Presidential fines. The Ukrainian Parliament also urged the Security Service of Ukraine, the and the Ukrainian people,” he said. Secretariat Vice-Chair Ihor Popov read at showed respect to the national symbols of Procurator General’s Office and the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko a meeting of the Parliament’s conciliatory other countries. Thus, abuse of the offi- National Bank of Ukraine to take imme- said at a meeting of the National Security council on June 9. On June 5 the cial flag or emblem of a foreign state may diate measures and legalize the domestic and Defense Council on Friday that Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on amend- be punished with a term of up to two economy. “The chain of corruption Naftohaz Ukrainy would pay Gazprom ing the Ukrainian law on organizing and years. (Ukrinform) stretches to the top echelons of power,” hosting the Euro 2012 European Football for gas consumed in May through an Lutsenko chairs CIS council the president said, adding that it is time emission of 3.8 billion hrv. Russian Championship. On May 13 the Union of for the SBU, PGO and NBU “to take the European Football Associations (UEFA) President Dmitry Medvedev said earlier KYIV – Ukraine’s Internal Affairs positions of national interests.” chose Kyiv and preliminarily Donetsk, that Russia had doubts regarding Minister Yurii Lutsenko will lead the (Ukrinform) Ukraine’s ability to pay for gas supplied Lviv and Kharkiv, as cities that could Council of Internal Affairs Ministers of by its neighbor. Russian Prime Minister host Euro 2012 matches. Ukraine and member-countries of the Commonwealth Russian sailors as illegal migrants Vladimir Putin sent a letter to the Poland have won a UEFA tender to hold of Independent States, it was reported on KYIV – Since early 2009, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the championship. (Ukrinform) June 4. His Russian counterpart, Rashid Sevastopol militia has discovered 135 which he focused on the need to provide Lviv: town of two mayors Nurgaliev, handed over the post to Mr. additional assistance to Ukraine to pre- Lutsenko during the CIS internal affairs violators of migration legislation among vent the disruption of gas supplies in the PRAGUE – The western Ukrainian ministers’ council meeting in Yalta, servicemen of the Russian Black Sea autumn/winter period. A similar letter city of Lviv has found itself with two Ukraine. Taking part in the summit were Fleet, it was reported on June 10. Last was sent to the European Commission. mayors after a Kyiv court decision ministers from 11 CIS member-countries. week the Russian Black Sea Fleet com- (Ukrinform) returned a previously sacked mayor to (Ukrinform) mand voiced a protest against actions of office, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service the Ukrainian militia that allegedly con- Ukraine, Russia agree on cooperation reported on June 5. In the fall of 2005 the Azarov to head PRU election headquarters ducted a “mass examination” of Russian Lviv City Council sent Mayor Lubomyr KYIV – Ukraine and Russia support KYIV – In the course of the political servicemen’s documents. In the state- Buniak packing, accusing him of not ful- the deepening of regional cooperation, council meeting of the Party of Regions ment, disseminated by the Black Sea filling campaign promises. Mr. Buniak’s the press service of the Foreign Affairs faction on June 9, Mykola Azarov was Fleet press service, these cases were supporters say he was ousted because he Ministry of Ukraine reported on June 5. elected to head the party’s election head- labeled as “disrespect” for the status of cracked down on graft and corruption, This position was declared by Ukraine’s quarters in the upcoming presidential Russian military formations and as an Acting Foreign Affairs Minister and he took the council’s decision to “unfriendly step aimed at aggravation of court. A Kyiv regional court reinstated election. News of the elections was given Volodymyr Khandohiy and Russia’s by Oleksander Yefremov, deputy head of the Russian-Ukrainian relations.” Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov him, but the Lviv City Council voted to According to Ukraine’s Internal Affairs sack him again. Mr. Buniak took the case the faction. (Ukrinform) during their meeting in Denmark within Ministry, last year militiamen uncovered back to court, but Lviv held new elections the framework of the Baltic Sea One-third GDP comes from shadow 277 violations of migration legislation Countries’ Council. The two sides also in the spring of 2006 and elected Andrii Sadovyi as mayor. After working his way KYIV – About a third of the Ukrainian among the Russian sailors. On the whole, discussed the strengthening of European the Black Sea Fleet servicemen make up security and the role of the Organization through five courts, Mr. Buniak has now gross domestic product (GDP) originates been reinstated as mayor by a Kyiv from shadow, President Viktor one-tenth of all uncovered illegal for Security and Cooperation in Europe migrants in Sevastopol. The documented (OSCE) in this process, and they administrative court, effective June 1. Mr. Yushchenko told a meeting on contraband violations are considered by territorial exchanged information about the dynamic Buniak is now seeking three years’ back and illegal economy. June 4 news reports courts. The Russian Black Sea Fleet is of Ukraine’s and Russia’s relations with pay, as well as compensation for the prob- quoted him as saying that “31.1 percent NATO. The parties also expressed mutual lems the council caused him. Mr. Sadovyi of the GDP is produced in shadow, or temporarily stationed in Sevastopol; interest in prolonging the dialogue within was on vacation and could not be reached even up to 50 percent according to World according to bipartite agreements it is to the framework of workgroups on the state for comment. (RFE/RL) Bank estimates.” This situation, he said, be withdrawn in 2017. (Ukrinform) border issues. Messrs. Khandohiy and Canada to simplify visa regime for youth Lavrov also reached agreement on further consultations on issues of mutual interest, KYIV – Canada intends to simplify the particularly within the framework of the visa regime for Ukrainian youth, the meeting of foreign ministers of OSCE Family, Youth and Sports Ministry press member-countries in Corfu (Greece) in service reported on June 5. Minister Yurii late June. (Ukrinform) Pavlenko held a meeting with Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Daniel Caron Nine miners dead in Donetsk during which the parties discussed a KYIV – Work at the Skochynsky memorandum that is being prepared con- coalmine in Donetsk stopped after a pow- cerning youth exchanges. Mr. Pavlenko erful methane and coal explosion on June noted that the document, initiated by the 8. The fate of nine miners was unknown, Canadian party, is aimed at liberalizing while two others were found dead on the the visa regime between Ukraine and day of the accident. By the next day the Canada by simplifying the procedure for death toll had risen to six and the search Ukrainian citizens age 18-35 for obtain- continued for the seven other miners. By ing the right to travel, study and work in June 10, the bodies of nine miners were Canada for a term of up to one year. recovered; and the fate of four others was (Ukrinform) unknown. Between 48 and 51 miners Extended ban on who may adopt were working at the site of the accident when coal dust exploded. Search and res- KYIV – The Ukrainian Parliament has cue operations are under way at the amended the Criminal and Family codes coalmine. President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine, introducing tighter require- demanded that Prime Minister Yulia ments for those who adopt children. Tymoshenko immediately set up a gov- People with disabilities, those deprived of ernment commission to investigate the parental rights, alcoholics and drug circumstances of the accident at the addicts, the mentally ill or those who Skochynsky coalmine owned by the state- have no permanent place of residence or run Donetsk Coal Energy Company. On permanent income will not be able to June 9 Donetsk regional prosecutors adopt children, it was reported on June 4. opened a criminal case under Part 2, Individuals previously convicted of com- Article 272 of the Criminal Code of mitting serious crimes, as well as unmar- Ukraine – the violation of safety rules ried foreigners, – with the exception of while conducting dangerous work – due foreigners who are related to the child, to a coal dust explosion that occurred at have also been banned from adopting the Skochynsky coalmine. The condition children. According to the Family, Youth of two miners injured after the accident at and Sports Ministry, Ukrainians adopted the coalmine is serious. They were taken 2,066 children in 2008, while foreigners to the Kalinin regional clinic, while 34 adopted 1,587. (Ukrinform) miners suspected of being poisoned with mine gas are at the city hospital for occu- Tougher penalties for abuse of state symbols pational diseases. (Ukrinform) KYIV – The Verkhovna Rada of President asks Rada to discuss Euro 2012 Ukraine has toughened criminal responsi- bility for the abuse of state symbols, it KYIV – Ukrainian President Viktor was reported on June 4. Amendments to Yushchenko has asked the Verkhovna the Criminal Code provide that public Rada to dedicate one plenary meeting to humiliation of Ukraine’s state symbols the consideration of issues linked to the may be punishable by deprivation of free- country’s preparations for hosting the dom for a term of up to three years. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24 BOOK NOTES: Ukraine on Europe’s cultural map Librarians... (Continued from page 11) “Contemporary Ukraine on the Rubchak). Cultural Map of Europe,” edited by Part II deals with literary culture (with Baltic States by developing a network of Larissa M. L. Zaleska Onyshkevych chapters by Maria Zubrytska, Larissa leaders in the region who have gained (Shevchenko Scientific Society) and Onyshkevych, Michael M. Naydan, Ola significant, firsthand exposure to Maria G. Rewakowicz (University of Hnatiuk, Lydia Stefanowska, Marko R. America’s democratic, accountable gov- Washington). Published by M. E. Sharpe Stech, Marko Pavlyshyn, Maxim ernment and free-market system. in cooperation with the Shevchenko Tarnawsky and Maria G. Rewakowicz). Irondequoit-Poltava Sister City volun- Scientific Society, April 2009. ISBN Part III discusses language, popular teers had scheduled professional sessions 978-0-7656-4200-0. 496 pp. Hardcover, culture, media and the arts (with chapters with many regional resources for the $89.95. by Serhii Vakulenko, Michael Moser, librarians’ delegation from Ukraine. Laada Bilaniuk, Yuri Shevchuk, Marta Delegates met with librarians at the The concept of a “return to Europe” Dyczok, Marko Pavlyshyn, Myroslav University of Rochester, Monroe County has been integral to the movement for Shkandriij and Virko Baley). Municipal Libraries, Syracuse University, Ukrainian national rebirth since the 19th What emerges is a fascinating picture State University of New York – century. While the goal of a more fully of a young country grappling with its Brockport, the Ukrainian historical library reformed politics remains elusive, numer- divided past and its colonial heritage, yet at the Ukrainian Federal Credit Union ous expressions of Ukrainian culture con- asserting its voice and preferences amid and Irondequoit area high schools. They tinue to develop in the European spirit. the diverse and at times conflicting reali- also explored international education This wide-ranging book explores ties of the contemporary political scene. opportunities through Nazareth College. Ukraine’s European cultural connection, Europe becomes a powerful point of ref- Homestays allowed the Open World especially as re-established since the erence, a measure against which the situ- delegates to experience family life in country regained independence in 1991. ation in post-independence Ukraine is America. Delegates attended the annual In this volume, an international group gauged and debated. This framework meeting of the Ukrainian Federal Credit of contributors, specialists in their partic- allows for a better understanding of the Union, met with representatives of ular fields, discuss many aspects of complexities deeply ingrained in the on April 25. International Sister Cities of Rochester Ukraine’s contemporary culture. social fabric of Ukrainian society. The book may be ordered at www. and toured Niagara Falls. Part I has chapters dealing with history, A book launch of this publication and mesharpe.com or [email protected] Homestays were a memorable experi- politics and religion (written by Roman a roundtable discussion were held during for $44.98 (plus shipping) until June 25; ence, as they connected the Ukrainian visi- Szporluk, Mykola Riabchuk, Giulia Lami, the international annual convention of the afterwards for $89.95. Shevchenko tors with new friends in the United States; Oxana Pachlovska, Andrew Sorokowski, Association for the Study of Nationalities Scientific Society members receive a 20 and contributed to mutual understanding. Catherine Wanner, Elehie Skoczylas, held at Columbia University on April 23 percent discount for books purchased at The Open World Program is a non-par- Myroslava Antonovych and Marian and at the Shevchenko Scientific Society the society. tisan initiative of Congress designed to build mutual understanding between the United States and Tajikistan. Since 1999 structed Illinois Holocaust Museum, an cathedralschool.org.” more than 14,400 Open World partici- Students recognized... institution dedicated to teaching future gen- St. Nicholas Cathedral School, estab- pants from Russia, Ukraine and other (Continued from page 5) erations the lessons of the Holocaust. lished in 1936, fosters a unique and proven countries of the former Soviet Union hade “We are very proud of our students,” said learning environment, where traditional val- been hosted in all 50 states. own communities or on a broader scale. St. Nicholas Principal Maria Klysh Finiak. ues are affirmed and upheld, and a strong For more information about the Twenty-four finalists were selected. All stu- “We were also encouraged that we were educational foundation is provided. Among Ukraine delegation’s visit to New York dents received scholarship awards, including able to bring more stories about Holodomor its alumni are many prominent professionals readers may contact Tamara Denysenko, Miss Oharenko and Miss Chychula. to the wider public through this competition. and state and national leaders. For more 585-544-9518, ext. 226. For more infor- This year’s awards ceremony on May 17 The entries of all our students will be avail- information, readers visit the school’s web- mation about Open World, please visit was the first to be held in the newly con- able for viewing on our website, stnicholas- site or call 773-384-7243. www.openworld.gov. No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 17

(1946). In his work Butowych often drew Ukraine, where the artist was Exhibit focuses... on themes from Ukrainian folklore, as born; to the great river, Dnipro; (Continued from page 1) reflected in the work on exhibit “Old Man and to the golden-domed city of bition reflect a compilation of folk art, fine Under a Tree” (1960). Kyiv on its banks. art, history and tradition. The pysanky are Borschiv is another region of Ukraine Many artists whose works the work of folk artist Iryna Bilianska whose folk art creates a strong visual impact. are included in the exhibition (about whom very little is known), who cre- Painter, sculptor and graphic artist Jacques (and there are several more ated them during the 1920s – a time of Hnizdovsky was born and raised in the beyond those mentioned here) national reawakening. Bilianska’s work is Borschiv region, and the dominant color reference some aspect of their based on the traditional floral designs of the schemes of black on white and black on relationship to the cultural folk Sokal region, where she was born. While black, with vibrant colors as accents, found heritage of their native Ukraine. adhering to her native artistic language in in the area’s rich embroideries permeate Contemporary artist Ilona the use of the floral motifs, the artist inter- many of his compositions. Sochynsky’s “The Red Moon” prets the patterns in her own unique way, “He absorbed less the picturesqueness of (1991) is an abstract work, but and at times integrates into the design or the region than the essence of its creative its vibrant color palette hints superimposes on it national symbols and identity,” commented Prof. Leshko. In boldly at a link to a rich heritage inspirational words – both religious and Hnizdovsky’s woodcut “Forest in Spring” that unites every artist in this (1961), the rhythmic intertwining of tree secular in content. exhibition. The legacy of cultur- limbs and flowers is reminiscent of the intri- The Carpathian Mountains and the bril- al continuum in this work is less cacies in the patterns of Borschiv embroi- liant and colorful culture of the Hutsul peo- apparent than in the very open dery. The forceful application of black and ple had a powerful influence on the artists of and obvious “Dance” (1956) sparse use of reds, yellows and greens in western Ukraine. Oleksa Novakivsky and “Three Generations” (1983) “Life and Death” (1953) or in the abstract (1872-1935), the celebrated artist, teacher, “Tower of Babel” (1954) reflect the color by Halyna Mazepa (1910-1995) and founder of the Novakivsky Art School, spectrum and balance of Borschiv’s unique but no less intriguing and amaz- which played a major role in the nurturing embroidery and weaving, as do the highly ing. Mazepa’s paintings are and education of many young Ukrainian art- stylized shapes of the apostles in his “Last explicit and exquisite styliza- “The Dance” by Alexander Archipenko ists in the early 20th century, established an Supper” (1954). tions of village girls and women (1912-1913, bronze), on long-term loan from the art colony in the quaint and picturesque vil- The sensitive landscapes of the in folk costumes. David Niles Collection. lage of Kosmach in the Carpathian Crimean seacoast by Vasyl Hryhorovych While showing the bond Mountains to the great benefit of art students Krychevsky (1872-1952) that are includ- between folk art and fine art in Ukrainian tions of World War II and immigration. and folk culture enthusiasts. ed in the exhibition perfectly capture the culture, the exhibition also invites viewers to Objects from both newly acquired collec- The natural and cultural bounty of the delicate and ethereal hues of that southern appreciate the collections from which the tions are part of the exhibition “Fine Art/ region made a strong impression on the art- coast on the Black Sea. Krychevsky was objects on display were drawn. Private col- Folk Art: A Dialogue,” ensuring a broader ist Mychajlo Moroz (1904-1992) – one that also an innovative architect; he designed lectors – members and friends of the muse- representation of the richness of Ukrainian lasted his entire life. A student at the the building known as Poltavske Zemstvo, um – have contributed greatly to the growth culture. Novakivsky school, Moroz had an affinity and enrichment of its collections. The muse- which won first place in a national com- *** for the Hutsuls and their land that is bril- petition in 1903. In the design he com- um’s most recent acquisitions from private liantly illustrated in his numerous early bined the decorative aspects of Ukrainian sources are two very valuable collections. The Ukrainian Museum is located at 222 paintings, among them “Harvesters folk art with the prevailing Art Nouveau The first – 167 paintings by Moroz – was E. Sixth St. in New York City. It is open to (Kosmach)” (1933) and “The Hutsul form, thus creating an original Ukrainian donated by the artist’s widow, Irena Moroz. visitors Wednesday through Sunday, 11:30 Wedding” (1930), both part of the exhibi- architectural style. The second – a large group of pysanky, the a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 tion. Moroz’s style changed over the years, In the 10th century, Kyivan Rus’ adopt- work of folk artist Bilianska – was presented for seniors and students, and free for chil- and his work in the latter part of the century ed Christianity from Constantinople, and to the museum by Andrij Hornjatkevyc, dren under 12. For information readers may became more expressionist. His paintings – the Byzantine influence left its indelible whose father, Prof. Damian Horniatkewych, call 212-228-0110, e-mail info@ukrainian- European and American landscapes in this mark on the spiritual and cultural devel- collected them in the 1920s and assured museum.org, or log on to www.ukrainian- later period – continued to show the infusion opment of the people. World-acclaimed their survival through the trials and tribula- museum.org. of the vibrant colors of the Hutsul culture sculptor and innovator Alexander and projected the spirit and freedom of the Archipenko (1887-1964) drew on its leg- people and the mountains that he so loved. acy in such striking works as “The Ray” Prof. Leshko explained that “to witness (1956), which is part of this exhibition. Easter in the Hustul region or a Hutsul wed- This large-scale sculpture evokes iconic ding [as depicted in the painting by Moroz] principles in its stylization that recall the is to partake in a transcendent experience – Virgin Oranta (11th century) in St. Sophia one that underscores the force of folk art as in Kyiv. a living tradition vital to a people and a cul- Contemporary artist Christina Saj also ture.” defers to the 1,000-year-old Ukrainian icon This is also true of the works of Edward tradition in her work “Creation” (2003). The Kozak, known as “EKO” (1902-1992), an painting is abstract in form and color, yet the illustrator and satirist and a student of the protocol of iconography is discernible in its Novakivsky Art School, who throughout his execution. life interpreted on canvas Hutsul life, as in Sometimes an artist will use other means, “Dovbush” (1957), “Arkan (Highlanders’ such as poetry, to support the symbolism in Dance)” (1964) and other works included in the work. Contemporary expressionist artist the show. Natalia Pohrebinska’s “Awakening” The magical lure of the Carpathian (1988-2004) is a flow of pastel colored rib- Mountains and its people also captured the bons of paint on a huge canvas, not unlike imagination of artist Mykola Butowych the ribbons that cascade from a traditional (1895-1961), who expressed his sentiment Ukrainian wreath of flowers worn by young for the area in the charming painting village girls. The work, referred to in the “Evening in the Carpathian Mountains” poem in metaphorical imagery, is a tribute to 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24 Cervantes Orchestra performs at Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art CHICAGO – A record crowd filled the to the rich musical tradition of Rome’s main gallery of the Ukrainian Institute of Conservatory, where he graduated with a Modern Art (UIMA) on Sunday, May 3, diploma in opera, orchestral conducting for an inaugural performance by the and composition. He has worked exten- Cervantes Chicago Orchestra. sively in Europe and the United States as The orchestra was created as a music pianist, conductor and teacher, and is cur- ensemble supporting the mission of the rently pursuing a doctoral degree in Instituto Cervantes, namely, to promote orchestral conducting at Northwestern classical music from diverse ethnicities, University under Viktor Yampolsky. with a strong focus on the music of The pianist, Ana Fau, was born in Spanish and Latin American classical Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is a gradu- composers. ate of the St. Petersburg State The Cervantes Orchestra comprises of Conservatory. She currently holds a fac- young talented musicians of multicultural ulty position at the Merit School of Music backgrounds. One of its most ambitious at Northwestern University. She has per- aims is to educate emerging artists in the formed in numerous European countries, spirit of collaborative performances in an including Spain, Italy and Germany. Last inspiring environment, inasmuch as the summer, she had the honor of performing orchestra reflects the diversity of our mul- at the Troldsalen concert hall in Bergen, ticultural society. Norway, during the anniversary season Mychaijlo Holian, the director of commemorating the death of Edward UIMA’s Music Committee, welcomed the Grieg. At the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (from left) are: Orysia Kossak-Cardoso, musicians and guests, and shared a brief Orysia Kossak-Cardoso, UIMA presi- Ana Faun, Juan Carlos Vidal, Mychaijlo Holian and Emanuele Andruzzi. background of the history of the orchestra dent, thanked Juan Carlos Vidal, execu- and of the Cervantes Institute. tive director of the Cervantes Institute, The 18-member string ensemble, under for co-hosting this musical event and the direction of its conductor, Emanuele extended a warm invitation to the orches- Andruzzi, performed a selection of classi- tra to give encore performances. In recip- cal Spanish and Latin music, starting with rocation, she requested a performance of a vibrant rendering of Manuel De Falla’s Ukrainian compositions at the Cervantes Pantomime and Ritual Fire Dance from Institute. “El Amor Brujo” for piano and string A reception followed in the institute’s orchestra. art galleries, and participants enjoyed Enthusiastic applause set the stage for mingling with the musicians and viewing an exciting afternoon of music. The con- the artwork. cert continued with selections which Operational support for the UIMA is included: Bachianas Brasileiras No.4, provided by the: Illinois Arts Council. “Preludio,” by Villa-Lobos; Oracion del Chicago City Arts Program, Self Reliance Torero by J. Turina; Fuga y Pajarillo by Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union A. Romero; Adagio for Strings by Samuel and The Heritage Foundation. Barber; Rapsodia Sinfonica, for piano For more information on future exhib- and string orchestra by J. Turina. its and events at the Ukrainian Institute of Mr. Andruzzi is both a conductor and Modern Art readers may visit the website composer, and he has a strong connection at www.uima-chicago.org. The Cervantes Orchestra performs. No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 19 OUT AND ABOUT

June 18 Lecture by Jars Balan, “California Dreaming: June 21 through July 3 Diocesan Church School Camp, Ukrainian Toronto Father Ahapii Honcharenko’s Role in the Emlenton, PA Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., All Saints Formation of the Pioneer Ukrainian-Canadian Camp, www.uocyouth.org/UOCCP.html or Intelligentsia,” St. Vladimir Institute, 412-279-1076 416-923-3318 June 23-26 Ukrainian Dance Day Camp, with Andrij Cybyk, June 18 Chicago Sister Cities International Festival, Whippany, NJ Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Chicago Hromovytsia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Jersey, 908-759-1771 Daley Plaza, www.chicagosistercities.com or 312-744-2172 June 24-27 Conference, “Contemporary Ukraine: Champaign, IL Challenges and Perspectives,” University of June 19 Crab feast, Baltimore Ukrainian Festival Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Perry Hall, MD Committee, Columbus Gardens Hall, 217-356-9195 or [email protected] 410-591-7566 or [email protected] June 26 Lecture by Serhii Kot, “Restitution of Washington Looted Ukrainian Cultural Property,” June 19 Casino night, “From Toronto With Love,” Shevchenko Scientific Society, Toronto Children of Chornobyl Canadian Fund, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, 240-205-1889 or Trident Banquet Hall, 202-223-2228 416-604-4611 or www.tickettrunk.com June 27 Concert, “Steppes: A Ukrainian Journey,” June 19 Oleksa-Myron Bilaniuk Memorial Lecture, Philadelphia featuring the Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Washington Embassy of Ukraine, 202-349-2923 Ensemble, Prince Music Theater, 215-569-9700 or June 19-21 Yonkers Ukrainian Festival, St. Michael www.princemusictheater.org Yonkers, NY Ukrainian Catholic Church, 914-963-0209 www.brama.com/yonkersukrainianfest June 28 Ukrainian Festival and dinner, St. Anne Warrington, PA Ukrainian Catholic Church, 215-343-3948 June 21 Father’s Day Ukrainian Folk Festival, Horsham, PA featuring U.S. Amateur Soccer Association’s June 28 Film screening, “Bereza Kartuzka” by Yurij National Cups Region I Championship Toronto Luhovy, St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Tournament, Ukrainian American Sports Cathedral hall, 416-603-3224 Center – Tryzub, 215-362-5331 or [email protected]

June 21 Book presentation by Volodymyr Serhijchuk, New York “Stepan Bandera in Soviet Security Service Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to Documentation (1939-1947),” Ukrainian events advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome Academy of Arts and Sciences in the U.S., submissions from all our readers. Items will be published at the discre- 212-222-1866 tion of the editors and as space allows. Please send e-mail to mdubas@ ukrweekly.com. 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24 Toronto Ukrainian Festival to feature three Ukrainian bands TORONTO – The Toronto Ukrainian Saturday night zabava band on the main Festival, has announced that three popu- stage at Jane and Bloor streets on lar bands that will be featured at the 13th September 19 at 10:30 p.m. annual festival in the Bloor West Village From Winnipeg comes Zrada, formed in on September 18-20. 2005 and forging unforgettable music ever Toronto-based Zirka is a band of six since. The members of the band set out musicians who love to play their instru- with the goal to take their Ukrainian roots ments and have a good time. Peter and into the modern world by fusing them with Morris Hucal started the band when they the music they grew up with in Winnipeg. were 12 years old and playing guitar and Inspired by Slavic melodies, sultry Gypsy accordion. Five years later their brother dances, So-Cal punk rock, reggae and ska, Johnny joined in on trumpet, then a cou- Zrada’s sound is a tight maelstrom of intri- ple of years later their sister Katherine on cate melodies, unyielding grooves, and sax. Bill Hawryschuk joined the band passionate, emotional beauty. three years ago, bringing with him the While the Zrada live show includes experience of playing drums with modern interpretations of several tradi- Zirka of Toronto. Solovey, Burya and Dunai. Karen Aniol tional folk songs, the bulk of the material joined the band two years ago on violin. is original. Written in a folk style, the during the festival. (See myspace.com for styles of music. The result is a sound that Zirka has performed at countless danc- compositions strive to project the same more information about the band. relates to all ages and that everyone can es (zabavy), weddings and festivals over emotion and imagery as traditional New York City-based Hrim is a party to. The band is extremely excited to the years. (See zirkamusic.com for more Ukrainian songs. The band will perform Ukrainian band consisting of five mem- be in the process of recording its first information.) The band is back by popu- on the main stage at Jane and Bloor bers, all of Ukrainian descent. They are: album. (To keep up with Hrim news, pic- lar demand and will be the featured Streets on Friday, Saturday and Sunday Roman Palylyk (vocals, bass guitar), tures, music, videos, blogs, merchandise Peter Kolinsky (vocals), Peter Drobenko and more log on to www.hrimband.com (accordion/keyboard, vocals), Roman and www.myspace.com/hrimband, http:// Kozicky (guitar) and John Drobenko twitter.com/HRIMBAND.) Hrim will be (drums). Since its inception in the sum- featured on Friday, September 18, at the mer of 2004, Hrim has performed at wed- evening Zabava by the main stage at Jane dings, festivals, zabavy, and all kinds of and Bloor Streets at 10 p.m. events throughout North America. For more information readers may log Hrim’s sound is unique in the sense on to www.ukrainianfestival.com or leave that it combines traditional and modern a message at 416-410-9965.

Zrada of Winnipeg.

Hrim of New York City. No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 21 UKELODEON FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Syracuse Plast members clean up to mark Earth Day by Lida Hvozda Buniak SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization branch in Syracuse participated in Onondaga County’s Earth Day Litter Clean-up on Saturday, April 25. Since the inception of Earth Day over 34 years ago, almost every area in the U.S. cur- rently takes part in some type of clean-up project. For the members of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization it was an opportunity to give back to the Ukrainian community by cleaning the grounds of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, rec- tory and School of Ukrainian Studies (Ridna Shkola). The Rev. Robert Batcho, administrator and the Rev. Roman Malyarchuk, assistant pastor, have always been supportive of Plast, allowing its mem- The Plast clean-up crew in front of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church. bers to hold meetings and ceremonies on Saturdays after Ukrainian school. The unseasonably balmy 90-degree temperature provided these scouts with ideal conditions to work hard on their good deed. Youngsters donned rubber gloves to pick up trash and rake leaves to beautify their parish and school. The youngest Plast members, or “novatstvo,” were struck by how much litter they found, especially plastic, recyclable bottles and cigarette butts. This was a good lesson of how smokers who discard their cigarettes fail to see themselves as littering their sur- roundings. The Consensus amongst the novaky was that the smoking habit is “pretty gross.” Syracuse Plast intends to make this an annual event and promises to make next year’s Earth Day commemoration even bigger. Syracuse “novatstvo” in action: Ostapko Juravich, Adriana Buniak and Christine Juravich.

N.J. student to compete in Pre-Teen America program Named to society PAPRSIPPANY, N.J, — A development of personal skills. of H.S. scholars New Jersey student and native Ms. Nozhenko has already Ukrainian, Katerina Nozhenko, accomplished a great deal in her recently earned the title of first 13 years. She is a seventh grad- runner-up in the New Jersey er at Public School No.14 in Pre-Teen America program. As Bayonne and speaks Ukrainian, a result, Ms. Nozhenko, a resi- English and Russian fluently, in dent of Bayonne, N.J., has quali- addition to some Polish. She is fied for the National Pre-Teen a four-time published poet, an America program, which will award-winning dancer and take place on July 3-8 in Baton swimmer for the Ukrainian Rouge, La. sports club, Chornomorska According to the website, the Sitch. Pre-Teen America Program “was The cost of the six-day founded in 1990 for the purpose National Pre-Teen America pro- of recognizing young ladies 7-12 gram is well over $500 and does years of age with high academic not include the cost of travel to rankings, outstanding personal Baton Rouge and board. Ms. achievements, school activities Nozhenko is asking for the sup- LITTLE FALLS, N.J. – Martha S. and volunteer services participa- port of the Ukrainian community Lewko, 16, a sophomore at Paramus Catholic High School, was named to tion, leadership abilities, sports to make her dream of participat- the National Society of High School accomplishments and creative ing in this educational and lead- Scholars. The NSHSS invites only top talents.” National finalists will ership program a reality. For students to become members. Martha is be judged on a variety of more information, readers can a member of Plast Ukrainian Scouting achievements, including aca- contact her parents via e-mail at Organization and a volleyball player Katerina Nozhenko demics, volunteerism, and [email protected]. for the Chornomorska Sitch sports club. 22 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24 Young Ukrainian athletes compete at Randolph Relays RANDOLPH, N.J. – The Randolph Relays held at Randolph High School on April 25 saw several of young Ukrainian American athletes in action. Among the track and field athletes competing were: Roman Hatala, Basking Ridge High School; Lesyk Martynetz , Oratory Preparatory School; Tina Michel, Randolph High School; Nicky Salek, Seton Hall Prep; and Lesyk Syzonenko, Randolph High School. They were captured in photos by track-and-field mom/photographer Christine Syzonenko.

Roman Hatala runs a leg of a relay. Lesyk Syzonenko in the long jump.

In the photos above (from left) Nicky Salek (No. 6), Tina Michel (with baton) and Lesyk Martynetz (No. 7) compete in the relays. No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 23 Plast Chicago honors St. George and marks Mother’s Day

Plast youths who earned various merit badges.

by Victoria Kuritza ous members. CHICAGO – As is the custom on With their fathers standing behind the first Saturday in May, Plast them, Ksenia Lewyckyj, and the Ukrainian Scouting Organization in brothers Matej and Lukasyk Chicago celebrated its patron saint – Lisowsky, took their individual oaths in joining novatstvo (cub scouts), St. George – along with Mother’s Day. The newest “novaky” (cub scouts) of Chicago Plast. while Svitlana Kolodiy, a recent émi- Over 150 people attended – gré from Lviv, took the Plast oath. including Plast members of all ages, Kolomayets, presented the award the singing of “Mnohaya Lita.” The Katia Iwanik, Diana Kuritza, Mark “ptashata,” “novatstvo,” “yunatst- for excellence in leadership and parent’s association organized a Liber, and Lucas Wyshnytsky vo,” “starshe plastunstvo,” “senio- extraordinary hard work. buffet luncheon for all the hungry received their well-deserved Plast ry,” as well as parents and guests. Afterwards, the Iskra patrol pre- participants. eagle scout rank. Additionally, many Alex Kuzyk, opened the celebra- sented the biography of St. George, Chicago Plast are now getting read other members received various pro- tion with the traditional singing of followed by a charming Mother’s to attend various summer camps in motions in rank, merit badges and the Plast hymn. Afterwards the Day skit arranged by the cub scouts. Cleveland, Buffalo and East commendations. scribe, Marianne Seneczko, read As is our branch tradition, all Chatham, N.Y., as well as and spe- A special event was witnessed by the program of events, as well as Georges were acknowledged with cialized camps throughout the U.S. all in attendance – the rare presen- awards and honors received by vari- tation of the 2nd Plast Victoria Kuritza, 16, is a member Commendation. This was awarded Mishanyna of Chicago’s 6th Unit of “yunach- to Miss Kuritza and Julian Hayda, ky” named in honor of Marko leaders of the 6th and 7th Units This month, as you are finishing school and looking forward to Vovchok. She is a sophomore at respectively. In a celebration never summer camp, think about how much fun you will have spending Maine South High School in Park before seen in Chicago, the head of time outdoors. Then, search below for the following creatures you Ridge, Ill. the Educational Sector, Andrij might see while hiking in the woods at summer camp. ANT DUCK RABBIT BEAVER FOX RACCOON Ukrainian school on YouTube CARDINAL FROG SQUIRREL CHIPMUNK HAWK SKUNK DEER LIZARD TURTLE

CHICAGO – St. Nicholas Cathedral School promoted its recent Open House (April 26) with a YouTube video touting the achievements of its students. In a previous campaign, some 500 “hits” helped drive attendance. Readers can key in “St. Nicholas Cathedral School” on www.youtube.com to view both videos. The Chicago elementary school is using the new technology for its current campaign to increase enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year. – Maria Kulczycky 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2009 No. 24 PREVIEW OF EVENTS Soyuzivka’s Datebook Friday, June 19 Friday, June 26 WASHINGTON: The Ukrainian WASHINGTON: The Shevchenko Engineers’ Society of America, The Scientific Society, Washington branch, pres- June 13-14 Program to be deter- July 5-18 Roma Pryma Bohachevsky Washington Group, Ukrainian Academy of ents Dr. Serhii Kot of the Institute of History mined Dance Workshop Arts and Sciences in the U.S.A. (UVAN) of Ukraine, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, and the Shevchenko Scientific Society speaking on “The Restitution of Ukrainian June 14-19 UNA Seniors Week July 17-19 Ukrainian Cultural (NTSh), under the patronage of the Cultural Property from Russia: A Decade of Festival Embassy of Ukraine, are honored to host a Efforts to Return the Mosaics and Frescos of June 19-21 Wedding weekend special evening and lectures in honor of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed church in the memory of renowned physicist Oleksa- Kyiv.” The presentation (in Ukrainian) will July 19-24 Heritage Camp session 1 Myron P. Bilaniuk. Prof. Albert Kipa, be at 6:30 p.m. at the U.S.-Ukraine June 21 UNA Father’s Day president of UVAN-U.S.A., will deliver Foundation, 1701 K St. NW, Suite 903. July 19-25 Discovery Camp the tribute to Prof. Bilaniuk. Dr. Theodor Admission is free; donations are welcome. June 21-July 2 Tennis Camp Kostiuk, NASA astrophysicist, will deliver For further information call 703-242-4245. July 25 Zabava with Oberehy, 10 pm the lecture, “Is the Earth Unique? A Search Saturday, June 27 June 27 Private party for Earths in the Universe.” A reception July 25-August 1 Sitch Sports Camp will follow. The event will take place at PHILADELPHIA: The Voloshky Ukrainian June 27 USCAK Tennis Session 1 the Embassy of Ukraine, 3350 M St. NW, Dance Ensemble, in partnership with the Tournament Weekend at 7 p.m. RSVP to the Ukrainian Embassy: Ukrainian Federation of America, will pres- July 26-31 Heritage Camp session 2 Victor Voloshyn, [email protected], ent: “Steppes – A Ukrainian Journey,” at the June 28-July 5 Tabir Ptashat 1st 202-349-2923; or Olexandr Mykhalchuk, celebrated Prince Music Theater, 1412 session; Exploration Day Camp 1 July 26-August 8 Dance Camp ses- [email protected], 202-349-2977. For Chestnut Street, beginning at 6 p.m. The per- more information contact George Masiuk, formance will feature Vasyl Popadiuk and sion 1 202-646-5897 or 703-960-0043 (eve- his band Papa Duke on stage with the July 3-4 Friday: Hrim Unplugged on nings). Voloshky, which will showcase its new the Tiki Deck July 31-August 1 Friday evening: Hutsul costumes and choreography. Ruslana Sunday, June 21 Saturday: Zabava with Hrim, 10 pm Kagero on the Tiki Deck will be on stage to receive this year’s Steppes Saturday: Film Festival, hosted by Dr. NEW YORK: The Ukrainian Academy of to Liberty Award for her humanitarian July 5-12 Tabir Ptashat 2nd session, Yuri Shevchuk and the Columbia Art and Sciences in New York will host a efforts. A “Meet the Stars” reception and Exploration Day Camp 2 Film Club; Zabava with Na book presentation by Prof. Volodymyr wine-tasting will be held right after the show Zdorovya, 10 pm Serhijchuk, director of the Ukrainian for those purchasing the limited number of July 11 Zabava with Fata Morgana, Studies Center of Taras Shevchenko VIP tickets. For tickets call 215-569-9700 or 10 pm National University in Kyiv and editor of log on to www.princemusictheater.org. a recently published three-volume collec- Admission: $60 for performance’ $200 for tion of documents from the Soviet archives performance and “Meet the Stars” reception. on Stepan Bandera. The event will be held For additional information visit www. in the academy’s building, 206 W. 100th voloshky.com. The sponsors are 501(c) (3) St., at 3 p.m. All are invited. For more tax-exempt organizations; proceeds benefit information contact the academy, the artistic and cultural programs of the 212-222-1866. Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.

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To book a room or event call: (845) 626-5641, ext. 140 Preview of Events is a listing of community events open to the public. It is a 216 Foordmore Road P.O. Box 529 service provided at minimal cost ($20 per listing) by The Ukrainian Weekly to the Kerhonkson, NY 12446 Ukrainian community. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.Soyuzivka.com To have an event listed in Preview of Events please send information, in English, written in Preview format, i.e., in a brief paragraph that includes the date, place, type of event, sponsor, admission, full names of persons and/or organizations involved, and a phone number to be published for readers who may require additional information. Items should be no more than 100 words long; longer submissions are subject to editing. Items not written in Preview format or submitted without all required information will not be published. Need a back issue? Preview items must be received no later than one week before the desired date of If you’d like to obtain a back issue of The Ukrainian Weekly, publication. No information will be taken over the phone. Items will be published send $2 per copy (first-class postage included) to: only once, unless otherwise indicated. Please include payment for each time Administration, The Ukrainian Weekly, the item is to appear and indicate date(s) of issue(s) in which the item is to be 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280 published. Also, senders are asked to include the phone number of a person who Parsippany, NJ 07054. may be contacted by The Weekly during daytime hours, as well as their complete mailing address.

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To subscribe to The Ukrainian Weekly, fill out the form below, TO ALL MEMBERS OF UNA BRANCH 172 clip it and mail it to: Subscription Department, The Ukrainian Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. As of June 1, 2009, the secretary’s duties of Branch 172 were assumed by Mr. Stephan Welhasch.

We ask all members of this branch to direct all correspondence regarding membership and insurance to the address listed below:

Mr. Stephan Welhasch 2200 Route 10 P.O. Box 280 Parsippany, NJ 07054 973-292-9800, ext. 3036