www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Chicago-area Ukrainians protest Yanukovych policies – page 4. • UCC concerned about developments in Ukraine – page 9. • Nina Matvienko: the singing conscience of Ukraine – page 13. THEPublished U by theKRA Ukrainian NationalIN AssociationIAN Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVIII No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010 $1/$2 in Ukraine Ukraine in danger: Administration Medvedev praises Yanukovych policies curtails freedom of assembly during state visit to Kyiv by Zenon Zawada erns Ukraine’s national police force, by Zenon Zawada It was Mr. Medvedev’s first visit in six Kyiv Press Bureau began demanding lists of participants Kyiv Press Bureau years to Kyiv after boycotting Ukraine dur- from the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, the ing the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine in Danger: Ukraine’s civil opposition’s biggest force. KYIV – Russian Federation President whose cultural and foreign policies infuriat- society has begun to report on authoritar- “The new government considers a pro- Dmitry Medvedev visited the Ukrainian ed the Kremlin. The Russian president ian policies and rights abuses by the test meeting of democratic forces a crime, capital on May 17 and 18 to pursue his praised the policies of President Viktor administration of Viktor Yanukovych and based on which a criminal investigation nation’s fast-track policy of deepening the government led by Prime Minister has begun,” said Anatolii Semynoha, a cooperation and integration with Ukraine. (Continued on page 8) Mykola Azarov, which was formed on national deputy of the Tymoshenko Bloc. March 11 with the appointment of the In the few months since the Cabinet of Ministers. This article exam- Yanukovych administration has taken ines reported violations of freedom of power, the freedom to gather in public assembly. spaces and protest the government has been significantly curtailed, with the KYIV – The first hint that freedom of Internal Affairs Ministry employing tac- assembly would be curtailed by the tics not seen since the reign of former administration of Viktor Yanukovych sur- authoritarian President Leonid Kuchma. faced on the very day of his presidential “Employees of the Internal Affairs inauguration, when a group of about 20 Ministry violated the freedom to peaceful protestors were blocked from protesting assembly, using force against participants the visit of Russian Orthodox Church of peaceful events,” said an April 22 Patriarch Kirill I. statement issued by the Ukrainian Soon after the Cabinet of Ministers Helsinki Union on Human Rights. was formed in March, the government “In Kyiv alone, such violations were began forbidding demonstrations that observed on March 14, 25 and 27, and April 8, 9 and 13. On March 25 the sprung up throughout Ukraine against the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine ordered scandalous Education Minister Dmytro the Kyiv City Administration (City Hall) Tabachnyk, who has expressed contempt ‘to use exhaustive measures to organize for Ukrainian culture and history. work with citizens and their groupings, Offi cial Website of Ukraine’s President Then came the raucous April 27 pro- including precluding and forbidding fur- tests outside of Parliament, after which Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Yanukovych shake hands during a state the Internal Affairs Ministry, which gov- (Continued on page 5) visit in Kyiv on May 17-18. CCRDF’s 20th anniversary celebration raises funds for Kyiv children’s hospital by Zoryana Bruher enormous support to CCRDF throughout many years were honored with awards. KYIV – Over 200 guests gathered on National Deputy Yavorivsky was hon- Saturday, April 24, at Kyiv’s ored with CCRDF’s Humanitarian Award. InterContinental Hotel to celebrate the Mr. Yavorivsky, one of the founding 20th anniversary of the founding of the fathers of the organization, initiated the Children of Chornobyl Relief and work of CCRDF and supported it Development Fund. The fund’s primary throughout the past 20 years. objective is to strengthen the Women’s Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky, who presented and Children’s Health Initiative Programs the award to Mr. Yavorivsky, said: “It has and to improve quality of life of disabled been 20 years since I first met this orphans. This charity event’s purpose was dynamic patriot of Ukraine – an individu- to raise funds to purchase life-saving al whose concern is the well-being of his medical equipment for the Neonatal people – and I remember the statement he Intensive Care Unit of the Kyiv City made at the Washington Press Club say- Clinical Children’s Hospital No. 2. ing, ‘Without healthy children, Ukraine The event was attended by diplomats, as a nation has no future.’ This statement the business elite and other members of prompted our [Dr. and Mrs. Matkiwsky’s] Kyiv’s international community, as well immediate reaction.” as doctors from partner hospitals who Accepting the award, Mr. Yavorivsky At the 20th anniversary celebration of the Children of Chornobyl Relief and have been working with CCRDF for said, “During my first visit to the United Development Fund (from left) are: Ukrainian National Deputy Volodymyr many years. Among the guests were U.S. States back in 1989, I appealed to Dr. Yavorivsky; CCRDF President Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky; Philip Morris Ukraine, Ambassador to Ukraine John F. Tefft, Zenon and Nadia Matkiwsky with an Caucasus and Moldova Director Elena Khomenko; Nadia Matkiwsky; and Dr. National Deputy Volodymyr Yavorivsky urgent request to help the children in Oleg Korniychuk, chief of the Neonatal Intensive Care Department of Kyiv City and actor Bohdan Stupka. Ukraine suffering from the horrifying Children’s Hospital No. 2. CCRDF’s Country Director Alexa accident at the Chornobyl nuclear station. Milanytch was the mistress of ceremonies At that time, Dr. Zenon was a prominent were truly concerned with the situation in first step in implementing the long-term for the evening. general surgeon in the U.S.A., and his Ukraine and immediately organized a mission of CCDRF, which has become Individuals who played a major role in wife, Nadia, had been actively involved committee to provide the first medical the fund’s development and provided in charity work for over 25 years. They relief cargo to Ukraine. It was just the (Continued on page 9) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010 No. 21 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Russia poised to leapfrog Ukraine Anti-Medvedev protest prevented Russia that threatened Ukraine with a loss of strategic sectors of the economy. The and Moldova in EU visa drive KYIV – Kyiv police prevented a protest agreements were to be signed during the against visiting Russian President Dmitry visit of Russian President Dmitry by Ahto Lobjakas what Mr. Mingarelli described as their Medvedev at a university in the Ukrainian Medvedev to Kyiv. Mr. Tomenko said he capital, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service RFE/RL “political discretion.” does not rule out that the official position reported on May 18. About 20 activists of of Ukraine was based on the government’s Most desirable goal BRUSSELS – Russia is putting pres- the nationalist group Svoboda planned to report in Parliament on the content of those sure on the European Union to turn the Visa-free travel in the EU has become the gather near the monument to Ukrainian agreements. He noted that, until the last next top-level meeting between the two – most desirable goal for all of the bloc’s poet and writer Taras Shevchenko in front moment, the Russian side insisted on the Rostov-na-Donu gathering on May 31 Eastern neighbors, who see in it great psy- of the university named after him while agreeing or signing a number of extra – into a “visa summit.” chological, political and economic benefits. Mr. Medvedev was meeting with students agreements, including those pertaining to a Officials in Brussels say the EU and Most EU member-states, on the other hand, inside. But police blocked their way to the merger of the assets of Naftohaz Ukrainy Russia will jointly sign a document at Rostov- are fearful of greater immigration and crime, square and to the nearby park, preventing and Gazprom, and a joint nuclear power na-Donu outlining “common steps” toward and generally do not want to send Eastern the protest. Police told the activists that city venture involving Russian Energoatom. It visa liberalization. This would represent a neighbors signals which could be interpreted authorities had not received an application is clear that in both cases the management significant advance for Russia in its decade- as encouragement to pursue a course aimed from Svoboda officials to hold the gather- of the companies would wind up in long drive toward visa-free travel in the EU. at eventual accession. ing. But Svoboda activists said their appli- Russia’s hands, Mr. Tomenko said. He also At the same time, it would hand Russia a As a result, movement toward visa liber- cation was sent to Kyiv’s Mayoral Office. commented that the agreement on demar- psychological and political victory over coun- alization has been a drawn-out process. The protesters decided not to confront cation of the state border signed by the two tries like Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, Russia was the first to secure it as a “long- police and the rally was called off. countries requires a detailed analysis. There who have long awaited visa liberalization and term” goal in 2003. Ukraine followed suit in President Medvedev began his two-day are suspicions that it has certain clauses have offered political reforms to get it. 2008, and Moldova did the same earlier this official trip to Kyiv on May 17. (RFE/RL) that call into question the current territorial If Russia, which has no obligations to year. Ukraine and the Sochi Olympics positions of Ukraine and Russia, formed on reform, steps ahead of those countries in A number of ministers on May 10 warned the principle of administrative boundaries the visa-free queue, it will only serve to that Russia is attempting to manipulate the KYIV – Ukraine is ready to take part in of the Soviet-era republics.