Ukrainians, Rarely Speaking in Public and Preferring to Yushchenko Optimistic About Ukraine’S Next Government Work Backstage in Ukrainian Politics
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INSIDE:• Conference examines diaspora’s new role page 3. • Lushniak named assistant surgeon general page 4. • The immigration debate in the U.S. pages 6 7. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIV HE KRAINIANNo. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2006 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine RynatT AkhmetovU Airlift to mark 20th anniversaryW of Chornobyl disaster meets the press by Yaro Bihun Special to The Ukrainian Weekly and the public WASHINGTON On April 20 an American plane will touch down at Kyiv’s Boryspil Airport loaded with $1.8 mil- lion in cargo of vital medicine and medical equipment to help Ukraine deal with the lingering effects of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, the 20th anniversary of which will be marked April 26. The Chornobyl 20 Commemorative Airlift is sponsored by the U.S. State Department in partnership with the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund Yaro Bihun (CCRDF) and in cooperation Vasyl Kavatsiuk, a recovered Chornobyl “liquidator,” and his daughter Maria with the Cuban American com- AP/Efrem Lukatsky (left), meet with Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund Director of munity’s Children’s Health Procurement Alexa Milanytch after a press conference at the Ukrainian Embassy. Rynat Akhmetov (foreground) with Viktor Initiative and other organiza- Yanukovych. tions and corporations. Its launch was announced on April 5 has provided Ukraine with humanitarian commodities during a CCRDF-organized press conference at the and Freedom Support Act funds with a combined value by Zenon Zawada Embassy of Ukraine. of more than $1 billion. Kyiv Press Bureau As pointed out by one of the conference principals, This partnership between the public and private sec- KYIV Deciding that he could no longer remain Undersecretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula tors, Dr. Dobriansky said, represents “the best of America’s initiative and generosity.” tucked away in the shadows of the Donbas, Ukraine’s Dobriansky, this commemorative airlift is part of an Deputy Secretary Dobriansky noted that the involve- wealthiest man has stepped onto Ukraine’s political ongoing process of providing post-Chornobyl medical ment of the Cuban American community in the Chornobyl stage, quickly emerging as one of the most popular and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine conducted by assistance efforts was initiated in December at the request leaders of the Party of the Regions. private groups and the U.S. government. of Ukraine’s first lady, Kateryna Yushchenko, who will be In the past three months, Rynat Akhmetov made two Since 1989, she said, CCRDF has organized 31 air on hand to greet the plane when it arrives in Kyiv. rare public appearances in the first of what will be many and 16 sea shipments of medical aid valued at more more as the billionaire industrial magnate prepares to than $53 million. And, since 1992, the U.S. government (Continued on page 30) work in Ukraine’s Parliament. Up until this year’s elections, the 40-year-old Mr. Akhmetov has remained largely an enigma to most Ukrainians, rarely speaking in public and preferring to Yushchenko optimistic about Ukraine’s next government work backstage in Ukrainian politics. by Zenon Zawada Mr. Yushchenko gave a strong hint that an Orange Little was known about him, and a dense fog contin- Kyiv Press Bureau coalition will re-emerge. ues to hang over his life and background. “I congratulate those forces who yesterday declared Though he has never admitted it, Mr. Akhmetov is KYIV Ukraine is in the unique position of being on their support for the president’s program as a basis for widely believed to be the key financial contributor to the verge of three and a half years of stability, through- forming a coalition,” Mr. Yushchenko said, referring to the Party of the Regions ever since the party emerged as out which a parliamentary coalition may hold together, Ms. Tymoshenko and Mr. Moroz. “That’s a good first a Donbas political force in early 2001. President Viktor Yushchenko told an April 12 press con- step. Now the second step is a political agreement.” Following the Orange Revolution, Viktor ference his first after the parliamentary elections. Mr. Yushchenko made clear he doesn’t want to form Yanukovych’s failed presidential candidacy and the sub- The Ukrainian president expressed unusual optimism any coalition until a very detailed agreement is written sequent arrest of his close business associate, Borys about the next government, in spite of the fact that it and signed by its partners, in order to make clear what Kolesnykov, Mr. Akhmetov rolled up his sleeves and will be led by his opponents from the elections who gar- the coalition’s positions will be on virtually every politi- got involved hands-on in the political arena. nered far more votes than his Our Ukraine bloc. cal and economic matter. Immediately, he noticed Russian political technolo- “I gained an exceptionally positive impression that That way, if a coalition fails, the reason will become gists and consultants were no longer reliable for provid- Ukraine today is close to forming a constructive majori- apparent, he said. ing the knowledge and techniques necessary to win ty and a constructive opposition,” Mr. Yushchenko said. “We need to discuss dozens of issues,” he told Ukrainian elections. For the first time, the Ukrainian Parliament may have a reporters. “Not just discuss, but to exactly specify them Instead, he hired Davis Manafort, a leading situation in which the ruling parliamentary coalition and so that it doesn’t cause disappointment for you, for the Washington political public relations firm. opposition are all engaging in constructive dialogue to work nation and for the voters.” Paul Manafort managed the campaigns of Ronald for Ukraine’s best interests, Mr. Yushchenko commented. The agreement will declare the coalition’s positions Reagan and George Bush Sr., while Richard Davis led “May the opposition not work against the state, but on the World Trade Organization, the European Union, John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign. against the government. If this opposition builds itself on the Single Economic Space, the North Atlantic Treaty Davis Manafort helped perform an image makeover constructive principles, I am convinced the opposition will Organization, privatization and re-privatization, and not only for Mr. Akhmetov, but for the Party of the be able to unite with the majority in very many instances.” dozens of other questions, Mr. Yushchenko explained. Regions as well, and the businessman’s decision proved As for who will join the parliamentary coalition, the By specifying positions, the agreement will enable its an astonishing success. president said it’s too early to make statements on the mat- participants to hash out any issues that may cause future Once associated with crime and corruption, the Party ter because leaders of the Our Ukraine bloc are in talks to potential splits, the president said. of the Regions is now the leading political force in determine which partners support the presidential agenda. He specifically stated that he wants a coalition to last Ukraine, and Mr. Yanukovych is widely viewed as a The Our Ukraine team, led by Roman Bezsmertnyi at least three and a half years, not just one year. strong, competent leader despite his academic and ethi- and Yonkers, N.Y., native Roman Zvarych, had been “We need to sit at the table, roll up our sleeves, and write cal shortcomings. meeting with Yulia Tymoshenko and Oleksander Moroz one, then 10, then 20 pages, and discuss which positions the of the Socialist Party this week, taking the first critical (Continued on page 28) steps toward re-uniting the Orange coalition. (Continued on page 34) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2006 No. 16 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Measuring the success of protests NEWSBRIEFS What kind of coalition for Ukraine? agreement within the following two days. “We believe the road we have taken is the in Belarus in steps, not strides KYIV President Viktor Yushchenko right one. We see no threats so far,” Mr. met on April 11 with leaders of the five Bezsmertnyi commented on the coalition by Valentinas Mite achievements should not be overestimat- political forces that won parliamentary talks. (RFE/RL Newsline) RFE/RL Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova Report ed. The demonstrations in Miensk were mandates in the March 26 elections to dis- not large enough to force the regime to cuss the formation of a governing coali- Official election results announced Belarusian opposition leader change course and thus cannot be com- tion, Ukrainian media reported. “We are Alyaksandr Milinkevich believes that the pared to the success of Ukraine’s Orange standing at the starting line. We have time, KYIV The Central Election week of street protests that followed the Revolution. However, Mr. Hensel said he several weeks, to walk this road with dig- Commission on April 10 made public the country’s March 19 presidential vote believes things may be looking up for the nity,” Mr. Yushchenko said at the meeting. final results of the March 26 parliamen- made “cracks in the fortress” of the rul- Belarusian opposition. Yulia Tymoshenko, head of the epony- tary poll, Ukrainian media reported. The ing regime. However, President “It could be that the opposition has mous political bloc, told journalists after Party of the Regions won 32.14 percent Lukashenka who won a third term in managed at this point to carve out a bit the meeting that a coalition agreement of the vote; the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, office following his landslide victory more room for itself within the between her bloc and two other allies in 22.29 percent; Our Ukraine, 13.95 per- cent; Socialist Party, 5.69 percent; and appears unmoved.