www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• European Union supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity — page 2. • Toronto University symposium discusses Chornobyl’s legacy — page 8. • On the road to Atlanta: interview with Sergey Bubka — page 11. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXIV HE KRAINIANNo. 22 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 1996 EEKLY$1.25/$2 in Ukraine Parliament turmoil stalls debate T U Kuchma sacksW prime minister, on new constitution of Ukraine replacing him with political ally by Marta Kolomayets matter of compromise, the Parliament by Marta Kolomayets the work of the Cabinet of Ministers,” Kyiv Press Bureau Presidium suggested that a new ad hoc par- Kyiv Press Bureau adding that the “government does not liamentary committee be formed, consist- forecast economic developments in the KYIV – The inability of the Ukrainian ing of members of all the factions in the KYIV – President Leonid Kuchma dis- country, but trails behind them, often missed Prime Minister Yevhen Marchuk Parliament to begin debate on the new draft Supreme Council. making decisions due to their conse- constitution has led the country into politi- on May 27, immediately replacing him After six weeks of work, including quences” – a form of crisis management. cal turmoil, causing chaos within the cham- resolving differences between the various with political ally and Dnipropetrovske bers of the legislature on May 28-29. crony Pavlo Lazarenko, who had served as In response, Mr. Marchuk told reporters factions (the Communist representatives in Parliament, where he resumed his duties Many national-democratic deputies walked out of ad hoc meetings, sometimes Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister. blame Parliament Chairman Oleksander Mr. Marchuk, who was appointed as deputy from the Poltava region on May joined by the Socialist and Agrarian Party 28, that he “cannot agree with the motives Moroz for the current critical situation, representatives), the final draft was present- prime minister by President Kuchma in accusing him of trying to thwart the consti- June 1995, “failed to ensure the effective for his dismissal as outlined in the statement ed for approval to President Kuchma last released by the president’s press service.” tutional process and demanding that he step week. On May 28, Mykhailo Syrota and stable functioning of the government. down as head of the Supreme Council. (Center faction), the head of the ad hoc And recently, instead of routine day-to- “History and time will put everything in Serhiy Sobolyev, leader of the Reforms committee, presented an hourlong report on day work to guarantee its activities, he its place,” said Mr. Marchuk, surrounded faction, has blamed Mr. Moroz for “incom- the final version to his colleagues in has concentrated his energies on building by journalists eager to get a reaction from petent guidance of Supreme Council delib- Parliament, outlining the changes and addi- his own political image,” read a statement the ousted government official, who avoid- erations.” tional articles on human and civil rights, the released by the presidential administra- ed giving reasons for President Kuchma’s Mr. Moroz defended himself in the justice system, the Crimea, self-government tion’s press service on May 28. decision but added that the “roots of the Parliament on May 29, stating that he was and the structure of the legislature. The lengthy statement faulted the prime problem run much deeper.” trying to be “fair and impartial,” but he did But it was at this point that cooperation minister for a number of problems in He did say that it was the president’s not gain the sympathy of any of the democ- among the various forces in Parliament Ukraine’s economy, including the lack of right to dismiss the prime minister (as out- ratic factions in Parliament, who hold him came to an end. Serhiy Hmyria, a represen- structural changes in the state sector, which lined in the Constitutional Accord signed responsible for not being able to secure a tative of the Communist faction, presented has led to the current payments crisis, as between the executive and legislative quorum for the long-awaited debate on the an alternative draft authored by his party. well as the delay in adoption of emergency branches last June), but defended himself constitution. During the evening session, leftist deputies measures, inability to cooperate with the by saying, “All the blame for the prob- “He has systematically violated consti- demanded that the debate over the drafts be Parliament on priority laws and the slow lems in Ukraine’s economy cannot be put tutional norms and rules of procedure in pace of implementing market reforms. the legislature and has not been able to (Continued on page 6)It also pointed to “ineffectiveness of (Continued on page 3) organize effective work in the Parliament,” said Mr. Sobolyev, after the legislature failed to register a quorum of 278 deputies to begin discussing the draft constitution Roundtable focuses on Ukraine’s relations with neighbors on May 28. by Khristina Lew He described Ukraine as playing a pivotal role in transform- Left-wing and centrist deputies also tried ing Europe. “The very fact that Ukraine is an independent state to “amend the rules of procedure,” noted WASHINGTON — Ukraine’s relationship with neighboring is one of the most important developments on the map of Vyacheslav Chornovil, the head of the Germany and Poland, and its role in an expanded North Atlantic Europe in the last number of decades. It transforms the geopo- Rukh faction in Parliament, explaining that Treaty Organization were examined by the German, Polish and litical character of Europe — it also transforms Russia. This is these deputies tried to “dilute” the proce- Ukrainian ambassadors during a roundtable discussion at the something very different for Russia than has been for the past dure and pass the constitution in both read- Center for Strategic and International Studies here on April 15. 400 years, so the consolidation and success of Ukraine is also ings by a qualified majority instead of a NATO expansion dominated the discourse, and Russia, an important facet of shaping the new Europe,” he said. constitutional majority, taking away from while not physically represented at the roundtable, was ever- the meaning of such an important docu- present. German Ambassador Jurgen Chrobog flatly rejected Germany cautious on expansion ment. any discussion of NATO enlargement “without taking care of Ambassador Chrobog opened the discussion on the new Despite repeated tries on May 29, only the needs of Russia,” but insisted that Russia be denied any European security architecture by emphasizing that Poland 270 had registered for the session, and Mr. veto power within the military alliance. and Ukraine, due to their geographic and historical circum- Moroz was forced to postpone the plenary The roundtable was part of the American-Ukrainian Advisory stances, will obviously have different functions within the session until June 4. Committee’s ongoing program of meetings and working groups Western military alliance. The German ambassador reiterated Ukraine, which celebrates five years as that focus on strengthening the U.S.-Ukrainian relationship. Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s belief that Poland should join an independent state on August 24, is the Established by the CSIS in 1993, the committee’s nine American NATO and the European Union by 2000. only one of the former Soviet republics members, led by Zbigniew Brzezinski, CSIS counselor and “As you know,” he added, “Russia has always shown us without a new constitution. Various draft national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter, meet with issue regarding NATO enlargement. We seek partnership projects were presented in 1992 and 1993, their 13 Ukrainian counterparts yearly to discuss the state of the with Russia, but not veto power within NATO. Russia will but not until the end of 1994 – under American-Ukrainian relationship and to make recommendations, realize that it stands to benefit, as Poland in NATO can con- President Leonid Kuchma – was a based on the results of the working groups, to both governments. tribute to stability and security.” Constitutional Committee, composed of all The April 15 roundtable was organized by the advisory com- Of all the EU member-states, the ambassador said, Germany political forces in society, formed. mittee at the suggestion of Ukrainian Ambassador Yuri is particularly supportive of Poland’s policy objective of integra- Once the Constitutional Committee Shcherbak and moderated by Dr. Brzezinski. It was attended by tion with European structures, pointing out that “the extension developed a draft project, a working com- over 50 U.S. policy-makers, scholars and members of the press. of the EU into the East is in Germany’s interest as it brings secu- mittee continued consolidating the docu- Dr. Brzezinski outlined the role each of the three coun- rity and stability to the Central and East European region and ment and fine-tuning the draft. It was final- tries is playing in shaping an expanded Europe and warned economy.” ly presented to Parliament by President that their inter-relationship “will influence the scope, the A close advisor to Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel and an Kuchma and Chairman Moroz during a shape and the regional stability of the new Europe.” He expert on European integration, Mr. Chrobog warned, how- grand ceremony in March, with the idea described Germany as “the good citizen of Europe,” which, ever, that East European countries seeking membership in the that Parliament would review it and pass it together with the United States, has promoted the concept of EU must have patience. “None of the candidates for acces- as the fundamental law of the land. expanding NATO and the European Union eastward. His sion today could be in a position to join a single European But when it came time to review the native Poland was characterized as the leader of social and market.