www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: l Former MP Wrzesnewskyj disputes election result – page 3 l Preserving centuries of Jewish heritage in Ukraine – page 4 l Commentary: Ukraine as a raiders’ state – page 6 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXX No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 $1/$2 in Ukraine UNIS celebrates 35th anniversary United opposition emerges with congressional reception to challenge Party of Regions Ukrainian National Information Service in the White House, an era of détente existed with the Soviet Union, and Ukraine WASHINGTON – A special congressio- was a subjugated nation without a voice in nal reception held on April 25 in the international world. Fast-forward 35 Washington marked the 35th anniversary years. Ukraine restored its freedom and of the Ukrainian Congress Commttee of has been a free and independent country America’s Washington public affairs for the past 20 years. And, the crucial com- bureau – the Ukrainian National ponent remaining in both instances – the Information Service (UNIS). Ukrainian National Information Service The event was held in conjunction with advocating the concerns of the Ukrainian the Ukrainian Days advocacy event on American community.” April 25-26. Several members of Congress, Following his opening remarks, Mr. numerous guests, congressional staffers Sawkiw introduced the co-chair of the and representatives from Ukrainian Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, Rep. American organizations participated in Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), one of the the joyous occasion. Ukrainian American community’s greatest Serving as master of ceremonies, UNIS supporters on Capitol Hill. The congress- Director Michael Sawkiw Jr. greeted every- woman warmly welcomed everyone to one and briefly described the historic sig- Washington, for the fete and noted her nificance of the only community-based office’s and the Congressional Ukrainian public affairs bureau in Washington in Caucus’ close working relationship with existence for over three decades. “Imagine the Ukrainian National Information if you would,” stated Mr. Sawkiw, “the year was 1977 – President [Jimmy] Carter was Zenon Zawada (Continued on page 16) Arseniy Yatsenyuk (left) and Oleksander Turchynov will lead the Batkivshchyna party in the October 28 parliamentary elections. Batkivshchyna is the most popular party in Ukraine, according to an April poll by the Razumkov Center. by Zenon Zawada The recently bolstered Batkivshchyna Special to The Ukrainian Weekly party held a United Opposition Forum – attended by party members – on St. KYIV – Opposition politicians spent Michael’s Square on May 12 to declare its months wrangling on how to approach the campaign platform. Mr. Tiahnybok was in October 28 parliamentary elections – as a attendance to express his support, but Mr. single party or on separate fronts. The Klitschko didn’t attend, instead releasing a result confirmed at the May 12 opposition statement calling for unity. forum was that three main parties have “The main thing for this unification is emerged to challenge the authoritarian that the two largest opposition forces Party of Regions of Ukraine. [Batkivshchyna and Front for Change] at The forces that will fight to pull Ukraine long last are creating a single party list,” out of its plunge into authoritarianism are said Volodymyr Fesenko, the board chair- the pro-European integration man of the Penta Center for Applied Batkivshchyna party led by former Political Research in Kyiv. “Smaller parties Parliament Chair Arseniy Yatsenyuk, 37; can join the list, but that’s not critical, since the pro-NATO Ukrainian Democratic they won’t affect any poll ratings.” Alliance for Reform (UDAR) party led by Eventually, UDAR and Svoboda could end Yaro Bihun boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, 40; and up joining Batkivshchyna in nominating a Ukrainian National Information Service Director Michael Sawkiw Jr. presents the the nationalist Svoboda party led by Lviv Hrushevsky Award to Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.). native Oleh Tiahnybok, 43. (Continued on page 5) Lithuanian president sees Tymoshenko, blasts Kyiv RFE/RL Ukrainian Service She expressed optimism about the trary, she is glad that doctors are finally integration and should not be isolating health of Ms. Tymoshenko, who is serving taking proper care of her.” itself,” said the Lithuanian president. KHARKIV, Ukraine – Lithuanian a seven-year prison term on abuse-of- Ms. Grybauskaite said the former Growing dispute President Dalia Grybauskaite has visited office charges that critics say are political- prime minister has expressed concern Ukraine’s former Prime Minister Yulia ly motivated. over Ukraine’s European Union prospects. Ms. Tymoshenko was moved to the Tymoshenko at a hospital in Kharkiv. “[Yulia Ms. Tymoshenko] is in good “Ukraine’s European prospects and hospital on May 9 for treatment of back After the May 11 meeting, Ms. condition, considering that she’s now European integration are very important pain under the supervision of a German neurologist. Ms. Grybauskaite is the first Grybauskaite issued a statement acknowl- recovering from a 20-day hunger strike,” to her and she is calling on everybody, the foreign leader to have been granted edging the situation was “complicated” Ms. Grybauskaite told journalists. “Her government and the people, to remember access to Ms. Tymoshenko since her but saying that the European Union’s mood is positive and optimistic. She did that reforms are necessary and that trust in Kyiv is evaporating. not complain about anything. On the con- Ukraine must take the path of European (Continued on page 18) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 No. 21 ANALYSIS Yanukovych expected in Chicago and other former officials of the Cabinet of Putin to skip Camp David meeting Ministers of Ukraine, as well as to restore KYIV – NATO’s Chicago summit is await- their civil and political rights. “The U.S. gov- by Pavel K. Baev lost control over the streets of Moscow, ing Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych however, was out of the question. ernment continues to call for Ms. Eurasia Daily Monitor as head of a state that contributes to the Mr. Putin was ready to bring Minsk to Tymoshenko’s release, the release of other International Security Assistance Force members of her former government and the Instead of marking a closure for the tur- Moscow and to assume temporarily the dic- (ISAF), Ambassador Ivo Daalder, the U.S. tatorial role of Alyaksandr Lukashenka – but restoration of their full civil and political bulent period of ugly elections, Vladimir permanent representative to NATO, said it has not quite turned out this way because rights,” reads a statement of the U.S. govern- Putin’s presidential inauguration opened a during a virtual press conference on May 8. new phase in the political crisis in Russia. the protesters in Moscow were neither ment on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Mr. Daalder noted that Ukraine is a valuable The activities have centered again on scared of the thousands of battle-ready riot Ukraine posted on May 14 that summarized member of the ISAF in Afghanistan and all Moscow, where the heterogeneous opposi- policemen nor eager to respond to provoca- the results of a visit of its representatives to ISAF contributors are invited to the Chicago tion finds it remarkably easy to mobilize tions with violence. The situation is fluid. the Kharkiv hospital where Ms. Tymoshenko summit. He also said that the participation thousands of supporters and where the The Moscow authorities are keeping a low is undergoing treatment. “The United States of the Ukrainian leader in the summit can in resonance from every rally is instant and profile and Mr. Putin again finds himself in a government continues to be deeply con- powerful. most uncomfortable situation with no clue no way be associated with the current situa- cerned by the treatment of Ms. Tymoshenko Mr. Putin’s staff decided not to take any about what will happen next. tion in Ukraine. The Chicago summit of and the conditions of her confinement” and chances and closed downtown Moscow not His best chance is perhaps to exploit the NATO will be held May 20-21. Mr. “we continue to urge the Ukrainian authori- just to traffic but also to all pedestrians, cre- differences in the motley crowd of the Yanukovych will be among the 60 world ties to ensure that Ms. Tymoshenko receives ating the impression of an entirely isolated “white opposition” where the Left Front, leaders expected to attend. On May 16 he appropriate medical assistance. Moving her received an official letter of invitation to the self-appointed “elite” gathered behind the led by charismatic Sergei Udaltsov, advo- to the hospital for treatment by a specialist summit from NATO Secretary General Kremlin walls (Novaya Gazeta, May 8). This cates views that are quite foreign to the lib- is a welcome first step in this direction,” the Anders Fogh Rasmussen. (Ukrinform, isolation brought on a fear of eroding con- eral urban middle classes. Mr. Udaltsov was statement noted. (Interfax-Ukraine) trol, which translated into the order to get detained in the course of the May 6 clashes Ukrainian Business Online) U.S. representatives visit Tymoshenko tough with the pesky protesters. Mr. Putin’s together with Aleksei Navalny, a well- Court declares Lutsenko’s sentence legal spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, interpreted this known anti-corruption blogger, and both KYIV – U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John order as “smearing their liver over asphalt” are still behind bars. This effectively makes KYIV – Kyiv’s Court of Appeal on May 16 F. Tefft and Thomas O. Melia, deputy assis- (Moscow Echo, May 11). These words most them into heroes of the budding “uprising” upheld the four-year sentence for former tant secretary of state for democracy, probably came directly from the mouth of (Moscow Echo, May 12). Internal Affairs Minister Yurii Lutsenko human rights and labor on May 14 visited his coarse-talking boss.