INSIDE: l Virtual forum assesses progress of Ukraine’s reforms – page 3 l Obituary: Myroslav Skoryk, Ukraine’s cultural icon – page 4 l UUARC appeal for flood relief for western Ukraine – page 7 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXXVIII No. 28 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 12, 2020 $2.00 Experts see deepening stagnation Governor of Ukraine’s National Bank of reform process in Ukraine resigns, pointing to political pressure by Adrian Karmazyn During the webinar, former Ukrainian National Deputy Hanna Hopko (who WASHINGTON – On July 1, Yakiv Smolii, chaired the Verkhovna Rada’s Foreign the highly respected head of the National Affairs Committee) offered the following Bank of Ukraine (NBU) whose leadership advice to Mr. Zelenskyy and his team: has been praised as key to the country “Prioritize judiciary reform and refrain from maintaining financial stability and investor attacks on independent anti-corruption confidence, resigned from his position. He institutions, specifically the National Anti- cited pressure from certain politicians and Corruption Bureau, and also refrain from business interests aimed at altering what attacks on the National Bank of Ukraine.” has been the institution’s responsible Speaking about the overall situation, approach as the reason. Jonathan Katz, senior fellow with GMF’s This move was received by observers as Frontlines of Democracy Initiative, said that another sign – among many in recent there are deep concerns about Ukraine’s months – that President Volodymyr reform trajectory “going in the way that we Zelenskyy is wavering in his commitment all hoped that it would a year into the to expand upon the reform accomplish- Zelenskyy administration. Concerns about NBU ments of the Poroshenko administration who is overseeing key bodies within and the Yatsenyuk and Groysman govern- Yakiv Smolii addresses the Verkhovna Rada before the vote on his resignation as Ukraine, including those who have been governor of the National Bank of Ukraine. ments in the first five years of the post- brought in based on a… [March 4th reshuf- Maidan era. fling of the] government, taking out key by Roman Tymotsko dence and the need to preserve its institu- On the eve of the Smolii resignation, the reformers and replacing them with those tional capacity. “An independent national Transatlantic Task Force on Ukraine – a that may not have the same credentials. KYIV – On July 1, the governor of the bank is a guarantee of macroeconomic sta- project led by the German Marshall Fund Even concerns today about whether or not National Bank of Ukraine Yakiv Smolii sub- bility of the state and the welfare of (GMF), the Democracy and Civil Society Ukraine will implement its obligations mitted his letter of resignation to the presi- Ukrainians. Therefore, as president, I will Task Force of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation’s under its new IMF agreement.” dent. “For a long time, the National Bank of protect the independence of the NBU Friends of Ukraine Network and the Implementation of adopted reform legis- Ukraine has been under systematic politi- under any leadership as a basis for the Reanimation Package of Reforms – held a lation is crucial, he said, “because we want cal pressure. This makes it impossible for financial and macroeconomic stability of webinar titled “Ukraine’s Reform to see Ukraine move forward, we want to me, as the governor, to effectively carry out our state,” Mr. Zelenskyy said in a state- Stagnation: The Path Forward in a Time of see a clear Euro-Atlantic path for Ukraine my duties as the head of the National Bank ment on the Presidential Office website. Crisis.” The discussion was devoted to and, of course, that takes leadership, it takes of Ukraine and interact with other govern- President Zelenskyy forwarded Mr. examining backsliding on reforms that are a willingness of the government to move ment agencies,” stated Mr. Smolii, according Smolii’s resignation letter to the Verkhovna needed to facilitate rule of law, democratic forward on these reforms, having the right to the NBU’s official website. Rada for a vote on his departure. On July 3, governance and economic growth, includ- people in place, and the right partners.” The next day, President Volodymyr Mr. Smolii addressed the Parliament, ing fostering a good investment climate and Zelenskyy reiterated his commitment to explaining his decision and underlining the accelerating integration with the West. (Continued on page 9) the principle of the central bank’s indepen- National Bank’s main achievements under his leadership. “For months, the central bank has been pressured to make decisions that are economically unsound, focusing on Ottawa’s Memorial to Victims of Communism vandalized short-term, easy ‘victories,’ and that could take a tremendous toll on the Ukrainian OTTAWA – A large banner at the con- economy and people in the long run,” Mr. struction site of the “Memorial to the Smolii stated. Victims of Communism – Canada, a Land of “That includes pressure in courts, paid Refuge” has been vandalized. The words rallies, information attacks based on “Communism will win” and Soviet hammer- manipulation and lies, unfounded political and-sickle emblems were spray painted on assessments of the NBU’s policy and my the bilingual (English-French) banner. actions as governor,” he continued. “Despite The $3 million memorial dedicated to attempts by some to equate the NBU’s those who suffered under Communist independence with the desire to distance regimes is slated to be completed this itself from other public authorities, the year. NBU does not work in isolation. Neither do “The Memorial to the Victims of the economy and financial markets, which Communism is to be a national place of depend not only on the NBU’s policies but mourning, reflection, contemplation and also on the ability of all public institutions remembrance, honoring the millions of to find common ground. We at the NBU innocent victims murdered by Communist have also been striving to find it. However, regimes throughout the world,” the pressure is the antithesis of effective dia- Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) noted logue. A conversation in which one party in a statement released on July 6. “Millions speaks professionally of economics and of people, including many Ukrainians, finance while the other is concerned solely who were subjected to the brutality and Tribute to Liberty with a political gain is doomed to fail.” The vandalized banner at the construction site of the Memorial to the Victims of “Does my resignation imply that the (Continued on page 11) Communism in Ottawa. (Continued on page 11) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 12, 2020 No. 28 ANALYSIS Vladimir Putin: Russia’s eternal leader Kuleba: De-occupation of Crimea inevitable statement that it had detained “three leaders and four members of the banned Hizb ut- fully controlled by the Kremlin. In Russia, a Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Tahrir Islamic group” in Crimea on July 7. by Pavel Felgenhauer Dmytro Kuleba says Russia’s departure from Eurasia Daily Monitor presidential veto may be overridden by a Since Russia forcibly annexed Crimea in two-thirds majority vote in the Parliament; the Black Sea Crimea Peninsula, which it March 2014, Russian authorities have prose- On January 15, during an annual address this happened several times between 1996 annexed in 2014, is “inevitable.” In an inter- cuted dozens of Crimean Tatars for allegedly to a joint session of both houses of parlia- and 2004, but not since then. Under the view with RFE/RL, Mr. Kuleba said that belonging to the Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamic ment, Russian President Vladimir Putin rewritten Constitution, such a two-thirds Crimea’s “de-occupation” won’t be stopped, group, which is banned in Russia but not in vote is not enough – the Constitutional announced the start of a process of consti- even by the controversial constitutional Ukraine. The Crimean Solidarity rights tutional reforms (see Eurasia Daily Monitor, Court must also agree. Since Mr. Putin may amendments – one of which reiterates the group that has members in Crimea and January 16, 20), which officially concluded fire Constitutional Court judges at his own “inviolability of Russian borders” – approved other parts of Ukraine said on July 7 that FSB with a national referendum, held on June discretion, a presidential veto becomes in a vote in Russia on July 1. “We insist that officers had detained Seyran Hayret dinov, 25-July 1. The procedure of constitutional effectively final. In addition, Mr. Putin may this [annexation] is temporary, that an illegal change turned out to be lengthier and more appoint a prime minister without the Emil Ziyadinov, Ismet Ibragi mov, Alim occupation is taking place, emphasizing that Sufyanov, Vadim Bektemirov and a legally precarious than the Kremlin originally Duma’s approval, if he so wishes. And if he this is a temporary phenomenon, it is illegal planned. The State Duma (lower house of ever retires, Mr. Putin will be fully immune blind activist, Aleksandr Sizikov, after their and, under international law, this is an act of homes were searched. Ukrainian Ombuds- Parliament) and the Federation Council from any prosecution and can choose to occupation,” Mr. Kuleba said. He added that it become a lifelong senator (Newsru.com, woman Lyudmila Denysova said that the (upper house) duly rubber-stamped the was very unlikely Russia will agree to take constitutional amendments, and the legis- July 1). seventh man detained by the FSB in Crimea part in talks directly focusing on Crimea’s de- latures of all 85 subjects (this number Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov was Zekirya Muratov. The house belonging occupation, so the notion of the peninsula includes Crimea and Sevastopol city, illegal- announced, “We must elect Putin eternal to another Crimean Tatar activist, Dilyaver returning to Ukrainian hands must be gradu- ly annexed in 2014) of the Russian Fede- president – no one can replace him.” The Memetov, was searched without his pres- ally included on the agenda by Ukraine and ration ratified them.