The Ukrainian Weekly 1992, No.22
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
www.ukrweekly.com Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association rainian Wee Vol. LX No. 22 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 31, 1992 50 cents UNA Supreme Assembly approves Bush receives Freedom Award community grants of ^7 5,000 Ohio ceremony focuses on ethnic Americans by Roma Hadzewycz Supreme President Ulana Diachuk on the selection of a site for the UNA's 33rd KERHONKSON, N. Y. - The convention to be held in 1994. Mrs. Ukrainian National Association's Diachuk said that, after examining Supreme Assembly concluded its an various options, she had selected Pitts nual meeting here on Thursday, May burgh. Pennsylvania, she noted, is the 21, by approving a budget of S13 million state where the Ukrainian National for 1992 and allocating S75,000 for Association was founded in 1894, thus, donations to various community or it is fitting for the UNA to return to its ganizations and special projects. roots during its centennial year. The Included in the budget is a capital convention will take place Friday, May fund of SI,630,000 covering such items 6, through Tuesday, May 10, 1994, at as renovations at the UNA's Soyu- the Hilton Hotel. zivka resort (a new pool and deck, On the final day of the Supreme and complete reconstruction of the Kiev Assembly's deliberations, a special Villa), computerization of UNA publi meeting of the UNA By-Laws Revision cations, and renovations and im Committee with all members of the provements of the UNA's headquarters assembly focused on the issues involved building in Jersey City, N.J. in amending or revising the fraternal ^Cornel Osadsa The assembly also heard a report by (Continued on page 5) President George Bush addresses ethnic Americans in Parma, Ohio. by Cornel Osadsa NEWS ANALYSIS: Political reform in Ukraine Special to The Ukrainian Weekly by Dr. Roman Solchanyk point man in the campaign against the In a subsequent interview with Iz- PARMA, Ohio - Over 1,600 people, RFE/RL Research Institute democratic opposition grouped in vestiya, the substance of which was mostly Ukrainian Americans, filled St. Rukh, has now joined forces with most conveyed by the newspaper's cor Josaphat's Astrodome Hall on May 21 Ukraine's strained relations with of his former protaganists to form, in respondent, Mr. Kravchuk was said to to see President George Bush receive the Russia in the post-independence period, effect, a coalition cemented first and be surprisingly candid about his prio Freedom Medal from the American particularly the question of the foremost by the common interest in rities, i.e., that "not even the well-being Nationalities Movement. Standing on a Crimea's future status and the problem defending the newly achieved inde of the people," but rather "the safe stage outlined with the flags of the East of dividing up the Black Sea Fleet, as pendent statehood. This shift among an guarding of the real and long-term European nations, the president re well as Kiev's international obligations influential group of Rukh leaders in the independence of the country will be his ceived the award from Ohio Gov. as a nuclear power have tended to direction of becoming something in the main concern." George Voinovich, who is of Slovenian descent. overshadow important changes and nature of an unofficial "presidential The Ukrainian president added a few Declaring the day "Freedom Day" in developments on the domestic political party" has effectively split the orga details about the planned changes in his Ohio, the governor praised the pre scene in Ukraine. nization into two camps. address to the nation on January 14, sident for knowing the hardships en The emergence of an independent These changes, in turn, have given saying that he had prepared a legislative dured by the people who suffered under Ukraine and the election of Parliament rise to a new centrist coalition called package for consideration by Parliament, communism. "We need the continued Chairman Leonid Kravchuk to the "New Ukraine," organized largely on including "new approaches to the leadership of the president," he told the presidency necessarily implied that the the initiative of the Party of Democratic building of executive power in U- partisan audience. "During his term, major Ukrainian political parties, Rebirth of Ukraine (PDVU),which kraine." Specifically, Mr. Kravchuk those captive nations are now free whose programs had been geared traces its origins to reform-minded referred to the need to delineate power nations." The governor cited Presi towards attaining independence, would Communists in the former Democratic among the president, the Cabinet of dent Bush for his concern for the region have to set their political agendas Platform in the Communist Party of Ministers and Parliament. accordingly. Ukraine. New Ukraine, while strictly and called the president a perfect role speaking not in opposition to the The full scope of Mr. Krachuk's model for the rest of America. Similarly, Mr. Kravchuk, whose president, places emphasis on economic proposed governmental reforms was Standing underneath a Ukrainian increasingly outspoken defense of reform and social issues as the major revealed in his speech to the opening flag on the stage of the Ukrainian Ukrainian independence in the months components of building an independent meeting of the Fifth Session of Par Catholic hall, President Bush passed on before the December 1, 1991, referen Ukrainian state. liament on January 28, where he the praise from the governor to all the dum and presidential election, was now proposed: ethnic Americans who fought for the faced with the concrete task of actually Presidential program: political reform ^ (1) that Parliament approve amend freedom of their lands. "You never gave implementing that independence. ments to the Constitution and pass up," he stressed, "you worked and you Simple stated, the political situation Already in his inaugural address to new legislation that would clear the way prayed. You had faith your nations in Ukraine changed fundamentally, the Ukrainian Parliament on December for the delineation of power between the would be free again. I congratulate you requiring appropriate responses from 5, 1991, which outlined Ukraine's executive and legislative branches and on your efforts." those in power as well as those aspiring proposed domestic and foreign policies, allow for the introduction of the insti "I love the signs in this hall," he to a role in the political process. President Kravchuk told lawmakers tution of presidential representatives at announced, pointing to scores of signs One result has been that President that he would seek to strengthen the the local level of government; and proclaiming the end of communism. Kravchuk has succeeded in winning executive branch of government and ^ y±) that he be granted temporary The president singled out one that read, support from Parliament to strengthen f :sue further reform of "all ruling expanded powers to issue decrees "Let Freedom Ring!" The mention his own office, emphasizing that trie structures" in order to make them having the force of law, particularly brought out a cheer from Laura Cocchi consolidation of independent Ukrai fundamentally stronger and increase with regard to the implementation of and Kathy Lobur, two dancers from the nian statehood is a top priority. their responsibility for carrying oui economic reforms, and the right to Kashtan Dance Ensemble who had Another has been the regrouping of their functions. He made it clear then directly appoint certain ministers and spent several days making all the signs. political forces in Ukraine. that his policies would be motivated by heads of state committees. President Bush singled out Cardinal The new Ukrainian president, not all the need to translate Ukraine's newly Mr. Kravchuk argued that the re- Josyf Slipyj as someone who had that long-ago.the Communist Party's won lnaepcuucnce into reality. (Continued on page 10) (Continued on page 12) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 31, 1992 No. 22 Papal documents seized by KGB are returned to Ukrainian Church Newsbriefs LVIV - Three papal bulls declaring He continued his remarks by noting on Ukraine the nomination of Patriarch Josyf that the return of the papal bulls is "one Slipyj as archbishop of Lviv and moment on the road to the healing of ^ MOSCOW - The Russian Par ^ UNITED NATIONS - The of coadjutor to Metropolitan Andrey our spiritual wounds and the healing of liament voted on May 21 to declare the ficial note of protest sent to Russia by Sheptytsky were returned on May 21 to our Church and people." 1954 decree transferring the Crimea to Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Cardinal Lubachivsky added: Ukraine unconstitutional and void, and regarding the Russian Parliament's by the National Security of Ukraine "You perhaps are already aware, and stated that the issue should be re decision to reject the legality of the 1954 (formerly the KGB), reported the Press it is with great happiness that I inform solved through negotiations. The re transfer of the Crimea to Ukraine, has Office of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic you again, that further concrete steps to solution, passing by a vote of 136 to been forwarded as well to United Church. the healing of these wounds will be the 18, with 20 absentions, rescinded the Nations Secretary General Boutros The bulls, which are dated November return of the mortal remains of Pa decision of Nikita S.Khrushchev,then Boutros-Ghali. Ukraine's envoy to the 25, 1939, are declarations to Patriarch triarch Josyf from Rome to the Cathed leader of the USSR, who gave the U.N., Viktor Batiuk, spoke of Ukraine's Josyf of his confirmation as archbishop ral of St. George in August of this year.