www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• “2002: THE YEAR IN REVIEW” – pages 5-38 Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXI HE KRAINIANNo. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2003 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine U Ukrainian prime minister’s visit 2001T Census results reveal information W to Poland confirms good relations on nationalities and language in Ukraine by Oleh Wolowyna and 2001, Ukraine’s population declined by Roman Woronowycz flexible visa regime for Ukrainians desir- Special to The Ukrainian Weekly from 51,706,700 to 48,457,100, which Kyiv Press Bureau ing to travel there. translates into a 6.1 percent decline. This “Visas will be cheap, multi-entry and CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The 2001 KYIV – Prime Minister Viktor decline is not uniform across the country. affordable. We are suggesting that certain Census was the first census implemented Yanukovych made his first visit to Only two oblasts and the city of Kyiv categories of individuals, including busi- by Ukraine as an independent nation, and showed small increases in their population Poland as the head of Ukraine’s govern- nessmen and young people, should be its results are likely to be as hotly debated (0.5 percent for Zakarpattia and 0.3 percent ment on January 8, receiving confirma- allowed to enter Poland without visas,” as some of the questions proposed during for Rivne and the city of Kyiv) during this tion from Warsaw that it had resolved to explained Mr. Miller, according to the planning of the census. The two most period, and one oblast (Volyn), maintained maintain a “flexible” visa policy for Interfax-Ukraine. controversial issues during this debate its population size. Ukrainians after it enters the European Poland is expected to become an EU relate to the questions on nationality and The largest losses occurred in the east- Union and that it will continue to cooper- member in 2004. One of the require- language. ern, northeastern and some central oblasts. ate on a Odesa-Brody-Gdansk oil ments it must meet is the implementation Some experts have stated that during For example, Chernihiv, Luhansk and pipeline. by 2003 of a visa regime acceptable to Soviet times many Ukrainians declared Zhytomyr experienced more than 10 per- “Today we held talks on those sub- the EU. Currently Ukrainians can travel Russian as their nationality, and thus the cent loss of their population; Sumy, jects that will help us to come closer to to Poland without obtaining a permit to percent of Ukrainians was underestimated Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy determining our [relations’] future direc- enter the country. in the 1989 Census. The language question and Vinnytsia experienced between 8 per- tion” explained Mr. Yanukovych after his The two prime ministers also dis- in the 2001 Census raised fears that it cent and 9 percent loss. meeting with Polish Prime Minister cussed increasing economic activity would show a large percentage of persons The smallest losses occurred in the west- Leszek Miller. across their 543-kilometer (about 360- declaring Russian as their mother tongue, ern oblasts and on the Crimean peninsula. Ukraine has repeatedly voiced con- mile) common border. Although the and that this would be used as an argument Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernihiv, Ternopil and cern that a new type of “iron curtain” meeting included discussions on broad- for making Russian an official language in Lviv oblasts, as well as the Crimean could descend at the border between the ening what is generally considered a low Ukraine and thus would reverse the trend to Autonomous Republic and the city of two countries once Poland entered the level of economic turnover and invest- eliminate the consequences of Russification Sevastopol, experienced losses of between European Union, while Poland has ment between neighboring countries, the policies during the Soviet period. 1 percent and 5 percent. insisted all along that it would do every- Ukrainian government placed an accent The census results presented here are thing possible to loosen stringent EU on receiving assurances from Warsaw likely to be surprising to many persons. Nationality (or Ethnicity) visa requirements and border controls. that it would continue to cooperate in They can be interpreted as positive or nega- The data on nationality is based on the Kyiv has even suggested that one by- developing the Odesa-Brody-Gdansk oil tive within this debate, depending on one’s following item in the 2001 census: Your product of the new EU “border” at pipeline, which the Polish side maintains perspective. (We will present the results and ethnic origin (state nationality or ethnic Ukraine’s door could be an influx of ille- must include the development of a Polish let the readers make their own conclusions.) group). In other words, each respondent gal immigrants from South-Central Asia investment consortium to support the Before launching into the main topic of was free to provide any nationality as his into Ukraine seeking to slip into Western project on the Polish side. this article, we provide evidence that the response, and the concept is similar to the Europe. Mr. Miller explained the importance census has confirmed what has been ethnicity or ancestry concepts used in the Mr. Miller maintained during his of private Polish investment in order for already known: that Ukraine is loosing pop- meeting with Mr. Yanukovych that the project to succeed, but emphasized ulation at an alarming rate. Between 1989 (Continued on page 40) Poland was committed to maintaining a that the value of the project and the demand for the oil in Western Europe needed to be quantified and specific potential suppliers identified as well. Mr. Yanukovych, meanwhile, main- Batkivschyna prepares for next leg of around-the-globe voyage tained that most important at the moment by Roman Woronowycz Kyiv to “let the world know about 2002 back in Kyiv at his home not far were concrete expressions of the political Kyiv Press Bureau Ukraine,” as its skipper, Dmytro from the banks of the Dnipro River. will to move forward on the project by Biriukovich, explained at the time. Mr. Biriukovich explained that over both Ukraine and Poland. KYIV – Increasingly looking like The Batkivschyna drew international the past three years he had received The Ukrainian prime minister the little sailboat that not only could, attention after a harried trans-Atlantic scores of letters from people acknowl- expressed optimism that economic activ- but did, the cement-bottomed crossing, which left it lost at sea at edging his commitment to Ukraine. ity between the two neighbors had much schooner Batkivschyna continues to one point and well behind in its plans “In one letter I received it simply room for expansion, especially in the make muck of detractors and doubters to join Operation Sail, an international said, you are so small and have done agricultural sector, and said he believed who believed it had no chance of gathering of sailing vessels on the so much,” explained the captain. that Warsaw and Kyiv could cooperate in completing an around-the-world voy- Eastern Seaboard of the United States Today the Discover Ukraine project developing common export projects in age. In late October the Ukrainian in celebration of the Millennium – the includes a bevy of informational dis- the military-industrial sector. He also sailing vessel completed the third leg largest such event in maritime history plays on the culture, history and eco- noted that Ukraine would consider pur- of a five-stage journey that should before it was over. nomic potential of Ukraine, which the chasing Polish coal for its energy sector. have it back in Kyiv near the end of Captain Biriukovich decided on the Batkivschyna crew presents along Polish Prime Minister Miller stated 2004. trans-global journey after stops at var- with traditional Ukrainian folk music that Poland would continue to support its Currently housed in dry dock in ious ports of call in Europe and the and souvenirs from Kyiv for sale at neighbor’s move into the World Trade southern California for winter repairs, Middle East in the early and mid- each port of call. The project has Organization and, generally, would the 28-meter-long schooner, which 1990s during which fellow sailors remained afloat even with crew prob- remain a strong backer of post Soviet gained international attention and a often asked him the identity of the lems and financial uncertainty follow- reforms under way in Ukraine. front-page story in The New York blue-yellow flag under which he ing it like the wind the Batkivschyna “Poland supports the market and polit- Times in July 2000, is set to begin its sailed. He decided to develop a proj- needs to keep moving forward. ical transformations in Ukraine and is trans-Pacific journey in May. It should ect he named “Discover Ukraine,” During the first stage of its journey ready to share its experience if Ukraine dock in Australia sometime in August which would inform people about – which took the schooner from Kyiv is ready to listen,” explained Mr. Miller, if it sticks to schedule. Ukraine and also allow him to travel to Connecticut, with stops from who underscored that a European choice Staying on schedule, however, has the world. Norfolk, Va., to Nova Scotia en route for Ukraine is exclusively dependent on not always been simple for this “I believe we have done a lot for – obtaining fuel was a major problem, the will of its people. Ukrainian sailing vessel, which set off Ukraine,” said Captain Biriukovich Finally, the two sides broached the in April 2000 from its home port of during an interview in late November (Continued on page 44) (Continued on page 42) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2003 No.