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Movers and Shakers Comment on Ukraine at 20 by Mark Raczkiewycz Some Submissions Metaphorically Com- Entered College, Had Become the Boxing Dated Soviet Model

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Movers and Shakers Comment on Ukraine at 20 by Mark Raczkiewycz Some Submissions Metaphorically Com- Entered College, Had Become the Boxing Dated Soviet Model INSIDE: Yushchenko testifi es against Tymoshenko – page 3 Diaspora leaders comment on today’s Ukraine – page 4 Experts/scholars on independent Ukraine at 20 – page 8 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXIX No. 34 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2011 $1/$2 in Ukraine Chrystyna Lapychak/The Ukrainian Weekly August 24, 1991: The scene inside the Verkhovna Rada after the vote for Ukraine’s independence. Members of the democratic bloc carry in a huge Ukrainian flag, which had been draped over one of the tanks protecting the Russian Parliament building at the time of the attempted coup in the Soviet Union. Movers and shakers comment on Ukraine at 20 by Mark Raczkiewycz Some submissions metaphorically com- entered college, had become the boxing dated Soviet model. This is one of the rea- Special to The Ukrainian Weekly pared to Ukraine to an adolescent entering champion of Ukraine, had travelled abroad sons that for 20 years of independence we his teens, albeit with stunted growth. and had tasted life different from that in the have not achieved the same success in KYIV – To mark the 20th anniversary of Others emphasized the unique opportu- Soviet Union. Therefore, I, like many building a state, as the Baltic states or the the re-establishment of Ukraine’s indepen- nity and potential that Ukraine has to Ukrainians, perceived the political events Georgians, our former neighbors in the dence, The Ukrainian Weekly asked some become a geopolitical player in Europe, but of the early ‘90s optimistically because we Soviet Union, who have been independent of Ukraine’s political, civic and cultural lamented that the country has taken every had a chance to start a new life. since the 1990s. leaders to answer the question: Where does possible detour on the route toward that Ukraine has been an independent state Today Ukraine is again on the verge of Ukraine stand 20 years into its existence? goal. for 20 years now. It is a short period, but choosing its path. Now it is more important We cast the net far and wide, knowing Others saw Russia as the key external long enough to analyze how we have lived than ever – because we see the devastating that many would be on vacation and diffi- impediment to Ukraine’s development and, over these years, what he have achieved effects of authoritarianism. This is imposed cult to track down, or simply unwilling to at the same time, Ukraine’s still Soviet elite and what we have lost. I’d like to note that on the nation by the current Ukrainian gov- dwell on this question. Our assumptions as the major internal obstacle holding the sovereign Ukraine has become a country of ernment. Everything considered to be the proved right. nation back. new opportunities for its citizens. I’ll tell achievement of a young Ukrainian democ- But when former Prime Minister Yulia Following are the responses received you about myself: travel, study, and a wide racy can in an instant be lost, unless we Tymoshenko was jailed on August 5, many from seven activists from Kyiv, Kharkiv range of exposure to people have allowed stand up to defend our rights to become national deputies cut their vacations short and Lviv. me to accumulate the necessary experience truly free. We shall lose our opportunity to to return to Kyiv and take action in support * * * for political activity. I’m certain that there be heard and be accepted by the interna- of what Arseniy Yatsenyuk called “the Vitali Klitschko, world boxing cham- are similar personal histories of develop- tional community. We will return to our institution of democracy.” The irony was pion, Hero of Ukraine, leader of the ment in each Ukrainian citizen. starting position and will never be able to that those who did promise to answer our Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for But, at the same time, we are still far become a sufficiently powerful nation on question now said they were too distracted Reform (whose acronym UDAR means from realizing the many ideas proclaimed which the Russian ruble and the European by the dire political situation surrounding “punch”) political party: back in 1991. We were not able to fully currency rate, and the policies of our neigh- the Tymoshenko trial to give the question In 1991, several months before the proc- seize the opportunity that history has given bors – the European Union and Russia – some thought. lamation of independence of Ukraine, I was us. What saddens me most is that over the would depend. Several themes emerged in the com- 20 years old. I was young then, yet I had years we have not built a new Ukrainian ments that we did succeed in gathering. already achieved something in life: I system of values – an alternative to an out- (Continued on page 11) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2011 No. 34 ANALYSIS Ukraine rejects criticism PRU: Western diplomats are biased private deposits in the banking system by the beginning of August grew by 30.4 bil- of Tymoshenko’s arrest KYIV – National Deputy Leonid lion hrv, reaching 302.2 billion hrv. In Kozhara, the deputy chairman of the Party July, the net inflow of private funds to hence Moscow’s nervousness (see EDM, of Regions responsible for international banks grew by 1.4 percent to 4.1 billion Opposition struggles April 22). politics, who served as first secretary of hrv. Deposits in national currency grew Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, the political section of the Embassy of more quickly. Hryvnia deposits in July to organize protests speaking at Ms. Tymoshenko’s trial, Ukraine in Washington in 1994-1997, increased by 1.7 percent or 2.67 billion claimed that the government had consid- expressed surprise at the desire of the U.S. hrv, whereas foreign currency deposits ered disputing the contract in court ambassador to meet in jail with former increased by 1 percent or 1.47 billion hrv. by Pavel Korduban (UNIAN, August 5). Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. “Over Among the main reasons for the contin- Eurasia Daily Monitor The Ukrainian leadership ostentatious- 20 years of my diplomatic practice – and I ued growth in the volume of private ly distanced itself from Ms. worked in different countries, including a deposits, experts say, was the restoration Kyiv has flatly rejected foreign criti- Tymoshenko’s arrest. President long time in America – this is the first cism of former Prime Minister Yulia of trust on the part of depositors in the Yanukovych’s spokeswoman, Darka time I heard that a foreign diplomat had national banking system, and the possible Tymoshenko’s August 5 arrest for con- Chepak, told the opposition website asked to visit a national of another state in tempt of court. While the West was told growth of household incomes. Ukrayinska Pravda on August 5 that as the jail,” Mr. Kozhara said. “If a national of (Ukrinform) that the executive cannot interfere with judiciary was independent in Ukraine, Mr. his state was in jail, that is understand- court decisions, Russia was reminded ad Yanukovych would not interfere, and will able, it is his job, above all, as the consul- PM Azarov: no more revolutions nauseam that the 2009 gas contract for continue his summer vacation. Mr. Azarov ar official,” he added. “But since this is a KYIV – Ukraine has reached the limit which Ms. Tymoshenko is standing trial said Ms. Tymoshenko should blame her- request to visit a foreign national, then it of revolutions, Prime Minister Mykola benefited Gazprom, but was disadvanta- self as she had mocked the judiciary, add- looks a bit surprising, and the question Azarov told reporters on August 16. geous to Ukraine. ing that the courts were independent of arises: Is an ambassador or diplomat tak- According to him, all who are now calling Foreign pressure on Kyiv for her the executive (Interfax-Ukraine, August ing the side of the defendant?” Recalling for revolutions simply want to regain release remains Ms. Tymoshenko’s only 6). Hardly by coincidence, Ms. the period of the presidency of Viktor power. “It’s their main goal. For them the hope as the opposition is weak and frag- Tymoshenko was arrested immediately Yushchenko, the lawmaker emphasized revolution is a means. In your dreams. No mented, her own popularity is probably at after Mr. Azarov’s testimony, during that at that time no foreign diplomat more revolutions. We are done with revo- the lowest point of many years, and popu- which she made denigrating remarks expressed a desire to meet with Yevhen lutions,” Mr. Azarov emphasized. The lar protests are difficult to organize during against him and the court chairman. Kushnariov or Borys Kolesnikov, repre- prime minister said Ukraine needs stabili- a holiday season and without rich spon- Ms. Tymoshenko’s Batkivschyna Party sentatives of the Party of Regions, which ty, and economic and social development. sors, many of whom have left announced open-ended protests. However, was then in the political opposition, at “All this will come. All this is being done Tymoshenko to join the opposite camp. domestic reaction to Ms. Tymoshenko’s their detention center. Mr. Kozhara said, step by step,” he noted. Last week, former The European Union renewed its criti- arrest has thus far been muted. No more “the question arises about the possible Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, the cism of selective justice in Ukraine within than 200 Tymoshenko sympathizers political bias of the diplomat. This is in leader of the opposition Batkivschyna hours of Ms. Tymoshenko’s arrest, and the staged pickets and national deputies from conflict with the essence of diplomacy party, in an interview with The U.S.
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