Experts at D.C. Conference Hail Ukraine's Democratic Development Western Leaders Congratulate Yanukovych Before Official Annou
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
InsIde: • Post-election news analyses – pages 3 and 4. • Dr. Orest Subtelny speaks about the Trawniki guards – page 11. • Ukraine and Ukrainians at the XXI Winter Olympics – page 13. THEPublished U by theKRA Ukrainian NationalIN AssociationIAN Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVIII No.8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2010 $1/$2 in Ukraine Experts at D.C. conference hail CEC declares Yanukovych winner, Ukraine’s democratic development Tymoshenko claims election fraud by Yaro Bihun subsequent speakers later expanded on. Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Ambassador Shamshur said the election was proof that Ukraine was, if not a WASHINGTON – Viktor Yanukovych’s “mature” democracy, then at least a “matur- victory in the February 7 presidential elec- ing” democracy. Ukraine’s new president tion is yet another indication that democracy faces some very important challenges, the is developing in Ukraine. It was not neces- first among them primarily domestic: over- sarily a victory for Moscow, which backed coming the economic crisis and conducting the victor, or a turning away from Europe constitutional, legal, energy sector and other and the United States, which were seen as structural reforms. And success in these backing his opponent Yulia Tymoshenko. reforms, he added, “holds the key to meet- And it does not spell an end to the Orange ing adequately the foreign policy challeng- Revolution, whose political leadership went es.” down in defeat. Those were some of the assessments of Ukraine’s domestic developments the meaning of the election and its possible Judge Bohdan Futey of the U.S. Court of impact both domestically in Ukraine and on Federal Claims who was a Ukrainian its relations with Russia and the West as Congress Committee of America (UCCA) expressed by two panels of experts partici- election observer during the second round of Official Website of Yulia Tymoshenko pating in a post-election review conference the election opened the first panel, which Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the press on February 16 as she launches a court organized by The Washington Group dealt with the domestic aspects of the elec- battle to overturn the results of the presidential election. (TWG), an organization of Ukrainian tions results. American professionals. While there were some irregularities by Zenon Zawada claiming her campaign had uncovered The conference was held here on and violations, he said it was questionable Kyiv Press Bureau five forms of systemic falsifications that February 13, less than a week after the elec- whether they were sufficient to overturn tipped the scales in favor of Viktor tion, at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel. the Yanukovych victory. He cited instances KYIV – Prime Minister Yulia Yanukovych. Among the discussants were current and of “merry-go-round” (also known as “car- Tymoshenko launched a court battle on “We are convinced that there was a former U.S. government officials, experts February 16 to overturn the results of the systemic, fundamental, wide-scale and from Washington and research institutions, (Continued on page 17) February 7 presidential runoff elections, all-encompassing falsification of elec- as well as representatives of leading tions in the second round,” she told Ukrainian American organizations long reporters after delivering the complaint to active in developing U.S.-Ukrainian ties. Western leaders congratulate Yanukovych the Higher Administrative Court, which Some of them had just returned from was surrounded by Mr. Yanukovych’s Ukraine, where they served as official elec- supporters, who tried to stop her from tion monitors. before official announcement of election results entering. The first speaker, following the initial by Zenon Zawada assume presidential authority. Western The Tymoshenko campaign’s appeal greetings by TWG President Andrew Bihun, was filed two days after the Central was Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kyiv Press Bureau leaders rushed to recognition when there was a result without the legal basis.” Election Commission (CEC) established States, Dr. Oleh Shamshur, who highlighted KYIV – Vladimir Putin called to con- its official results declaring Mr. some aspects of the presidential election that The Central Election Commission gratulate Viktor Yanukovych on his 2004 declared on February 14 that Mr. Yanukovych the winner by 3.5 percent, or presidential election victory the same day Yanukovych won the February 7 presi- about 888,000 votes. the Orange Revolution erupted, and that dential runoff by a 3.5 percent margin Parliament voted on the same day her became one of the more embarrassing against Prime Minister Tymoshenko. The appeal was filed to set Mr. Yanukovych’s chapters of the Putin presidency. difference was about 888,000 votes. inauguration for February 25. This time around, U.S. President The night of President Obama’s Ms. Tymoshenko’s appeal is unlikely Barack Obama congratulated Mr. announcement, former Foreign Affairs to succeed, most observers said, citing Yanukovych on February 11, days before Minister and lifelong diplomat Borys reasons ranging from the intricacy of the results were officially established and Tarasyuk, a firm supporter of Ms. election law to the alleged bias of the final court appeals reviewed. Recognition Tymoshenko’s campaign, said the ges- Higher Administrative Court, which is the from EU President Herman Van Rompuy ture was “unethical,” since official results final arbiter in the appeals process. and NATO Secretary General Anders hadn’t yet been established. “In the Chief Justice Oleksander Paseniuk has Fogh Rasmussen soon followed. majority of cases, leaders avoid congrat- close ties to the Party of Regions, various The gestures surprised the campaign ulations on election victories and con- Ukrainian media confirmed, and is of Yulia Tymoshenko, as well as some gratulate ‘success,’ as demonstrated by unlikely to give Ms. Tymoshenko’s among Ukraine’s diplomatic community, [Russian] President Dmitry Medvedev, appeal a fair ruling. who expected Western governments to who was careful in these elections.” “The door is pretty much closed for abstain until appeals were exhausted, or Indeed, Mr. Medvedev on February 9 Tymoshenko,” said Ivan Lozowy, presi- at minimum until official results were became one of the first leaders to con- dent of the Kyiv-based Institute of established by Ukraine’s Central Election gratulate Mr. Yanukovych, limiting his Statehood and Democracy. “A recount Commission. praise to the “completion of the election won’t give her anything meaningful since “Why this was done is a big question campaign, which received a high evalua- the Donetsk clan has probably made sure Yaro Bihun for us all,” said Dr. Grigoriy Perepelytsia, tion from international observers, and that its falsifications are covered in all the a professor of international relations at with success, achieved at presidential election commission protocols.” Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oleh Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. elections.” The Tymoshenko campaign said it Shamshur, addresses The Washington “As tradition, presidents are congratulat- wants the Higher Administrative Court to Group conference assessing Ukraine’s ed after inauguration when they legally (Continued on page 9) presidential election. (Continued on page 9) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2010 No. 8 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS New Russian military doctrine Rada sets inauguration date five technologies that were used during vot- ing in the second round of the election on opposes NATO enlargement KYIV – The swearing-in ceremony of February 7. The claim is supported by con- Ukraine’s new president has been set for crete facts and video and photo materials. by Roger McDermott February 25. The decision came after 238 She said that at some electoral districts in national deputies in the Verkhovna Rada Eurasia Daily Monitor Russia’s new mili- Crimea a recount showed that returns were voted on February 15 for the relevant reso- rigged by 3 to 5 percent in favor of her After several delays, the long-awaited tary doctrine has lution. The resolution was authored by Rada opponent. Ms. Tymoshenko also accused new Russian military doctrine was finally Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn. (Ukrinform) the Procurator General’s Office of putting approved by President Dmitry Medvedev defined NATO’s Kravchuk comments on election result pressure on judges. (Ukrinform) on February 5. The document did not include the rumored lowering of the nucle- eastward enlarge- KYIV – Ukraine’s first president, Leonid Court launches proceedings ar threshold, despite recent public com- Kravchuk, an election agent of Prime ments on the issue to the contrary made by ment as the main KYIV – The Higher Administrative Court Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in the 2010 of Ukraine on February 17 opened proceed- the Security Council’s secretary and depu- presidential election, said on February 15 ty secretary, respectively, Nikolai external military ings into the lawsuit filed by presidential that the Ukrainian people turned out to be candidate Yulia Tymoshenko against the Patrushev and Yuri Baluyevskiy (Eurasia unready to accept Ms. Tymoshenko’s Daily Monitor, February 8). danger facing Central Election Commission. The case will course, which is based on Ukraine’s be considered by a board of all judges of the However, it defined NATO’s eastward Russia. European choice and democracy. Speaking enlargement as the main external military court except for those absent for valid rea- on the Inter TV Channel, Mr. Kravchuk