Ukraine Business Forum Focuses on Attractive Investment Climate
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INSIDE:• Kyiv mayor focus of ire over utility price hikes — page 3. • Ukrainian architect’s 9/11 memorial is unveiled — page 13. • Diaspora studies chair established at Ostroh — page 15. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIV HE No.KRAINIAN 51 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2006 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine UkraineT BusinessU Forum focuses YushchenkoW reasserts his role on attractive investment climate in national politics in Ukraine by Matthew Dubas fication of efforts to attract European by Zenon Zawada investors, Mr. Zukoski said. Kyiv Press Bureau NEW YORK – Ukraine’s business Areas of high activity in Ukraine, leaders from diverse sectors converged at according to Mr. Zukoski, include agri- KYIV – In recent weeks, Ukrainian the Waldorf Astoria Hotel here on culture, banking, commercial real estate, President Viktor Yushchenko has December 6 at the Ukraine Business consumer goods and light manufacturing reasserted his role in national politics, Forum to present what they argued is the in areas of high technology. “Ukraine both in counter-balancing the coalition attractive investment climate in Ukraine. needs to move toward more technology government and in setting the agenda for The UBF was organized by a steering rather than exports of steel and com- his own political party. committee co-chaired by Walter Zaryckyj, modities, and needs to work with the pri- After committing himself to battling executive director of the Center for U.S.- vate sector to be successful in the global with Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych Ukrainian Relations and Adrian marketplace.” Mr. Zukoski commented. over Borys Tarasyuk’s status as minister Karatnycky, president of The Orange The biggest obstacles for Ukraine, from of foreign affairs, Mr. Yushchenko took Circle, though neither organization was for- Mr. Zukoski’s experience, are the regional- up another fight when he decided on mally involved with the forum. ism of eastern Ukraine’s industrial back- December 12 to veto the 2007 budget Also attending the conference were ground, the failure to collect value-added passed by the coalition government. Valeriy Kuchinsky, permanent represen- tax refunds that demonstrates Ukraine’s “Let’s respect the law, let’s act appro- tative of Ukraine to the United Nations, lack of fiscal discipline and is a source of priately towards the institution of presi- and Mykola Kyrychenko, consul general corruption, and the lack of a clear land allo- dency, and let’s act appropriately towards of Ukraine in New York. cation system that would foster develop- the status of the government and its Jorge Zukoski, president of the American ment of commercial real estate. members,” the president told reporters Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, said, Speaking of investing in Ukraine, on December 14, speaking of his rela- “Ukraine has a lot of potential,” with its tions with Mr. Yanukovych. Michael Marresse, director of J.P. Iryna Cherepynska growth market, potential export to Europe Morgan, found that Ukraine has done Mr. Yushchenko also put his foot down President Viktor Yushchenko speaks at a and Russia, sophisticated consumers and a well in the last two years, but there are in dealing with the stubborn leadership of Kyiv press conference on December 14. highly developed work force. challenges that Ukraine needs to address, the Our Ukraine People’s Union (OUPU), Mr. Zukoski commented that the “wait including rising energy costs, energy attending a recent party session to per- describe as aloof and detached. and see” approach to entering the security, rise in credit growth and banking sonally ensure that Presidential The Ukrainian president much prefers Ukrainian markets is not the right atti- practices open to market development. Secretariat Chair Viktor Baloha replaced tude after the rise in opportunities that As an example of Ukraine’s potential, Roman Bezsmertnyi as Political Council to tackle Ukraine’s grand political and resulted from the Orange Revolution of Mr. Marresse pointed to neighboring chair, at least temporarily. philosophical questions, such as its ulti- 2004. This increase in opportunities and Poland, which has attracted 7.5 billion Mr. Yushchenko is renowned for his mate foreign policy course, and histori- shift in attitude are marked by a difficulty hands-off, distanced approach to cal-cultural issues, such as Holodomor to meet market demands, and an intensi- (Continued on page 43) Ukrainian politics, which his critics remembrance and Church unification, political observers said. He has an antipathy for the nuts and bolts of forming policies and laws, pulling strings and maneuvering within govern- $500,000 raised for Ukrainian Catholic University ment, as well as dealing with power strug- by Andrew Nynka ers of the Ukrainian Catholic University Mr. Kurey said. They were also an gles and personality conflicts within gov- raised more than $500,000 for the univer- opportunity for people to learn about the DETROIT – During a three-city fall ernment and the OUPU, they said. sity, while officials from the school university and to meet members of its But, after several months on the side- fund-raising effort that culminated with a stressed the accomplishments of its stu- faculty and staff. luncheon here on December 3, support- lines, President Yushchenko recently found dents and faculty. In his trips to Chicago and New York himself in positions forcing him to act. Those accomplishments were shared City, the Rev. Gudziak stressed to hun- The coalition government led by with the public by the rector of the dreds of guests that the school intends to Prime Minister Yanukovych and the school, the Rev. Dr. Borys Gudziak, dur- be a beacon for Ukraine’s future leaders. Party of the Regions had been leading an ing stops in New York City and Chicago “We want to pledge before you here aggressive campaign of usurping control in November, and by Prof. Myroslaw today that we will strive to be guiding of the Ukrainian government. Marynovych, the school’s senior vice-rec- moral lights in Ukraine,” the Rev. After accepting the resignations of tor, during his visit to the Ukrainian com- Gudziak told a rapt crowd of 270 people three Our Ukraine ministers of the munity of Warren, Mich., in December. at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Cabinet, the coalition government voted In New York, the third annual benefit Chicago on November 12. on December 1 to sack Foreign Affairs for the university, held on November 5, “If this university is average, it will Minister Tarasyuk and Minister of gathered $303,040, said Mykola Haliv, not be needed. It is our goal to produce Internal Affairs Yurii Lutsenko, an whose committee, New York Friends of unique individuals,” said the Rev. Orange Revolution hero. the Ukrainian Catholic University, organ- Gudziak, the 46-year-old rector of the Mr. Tarasyuk’s sacking sounded a par- ized the affair together with the Ukrainian school. ticular alarm with Mr. Yushchenko since Catholic Education Foundation. In the Detroit area, Prof. Marynovych, the Foreign Affairs and Defense min- The event in Chicago on November 12 a former political prisoner who spent istries remain the president’s domain, raised $120,000 in pledges and donations what he described as a “life-changing” even after the presidential limitations of for the Ukrainian Catholic University, decade in the Soviet Gulag, told 250 the January 1 constitutional reforms. while the event in Warren, Mich., brought guests about the school’s mission and its At a December 14 press conference in in at least $80,000, said John Kurey, pres- work in Ukraine. Kyiv with foreign journalists, Mr. ident of the Chicago-based UCEF. “Our goal is not just to exist,” said Andrew Nynka Yushchenko said he won’t back down Though donations continued to come Prof. Marynovych, whose stint under the and allow anyone other than Mr. Speaking in Chicago, the Rev. Dr. Borys in following the luncheons – in several Soviet yoke included an 18-day hunger Tarasyuk to serve as foreign minister, Gudziak, displays a book published by cases, donations of $20,000 or more strike because authorities would not give having turned down attempts by Mr. the Ukrainian Catholic University that came in well after the events – the affairs won a national award in Ukraine.were about more than just raising money, (Continued on page 13) (Continued on page 12) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2006 No. 51 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Georgia and Ukraine: Revolutions Rada passes last WTO bill the Ukrainian Parliament is not aimed at any specific country. Mr. Diomin was with similar roots, different legacies KYIV – The Verkhovna Rada on responding to questions from Russian December 13 repealed a ban on export of journalists while addressing journalists, RFE/RL Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova Report ical course. But the government is not scrap nonferrous metal and alloy, alloy fer- diplomats and scientists at the Ukrainian without its detractors, and an Internal rous metal and on export of semiproducts Two years ago, Kyiv’s “Maidan Cultural Center in Moscow on Friday. Affairs Ministry shake-up earlier this of crude copper that will go into effect Nezalezhnosti” (Independence Square) According to the envoy, recognition of year called into question the integrity of after Ukraine joins the World Trade was filled with the sound of protesters this tragedy by other countries will be a the Georgian leadership. Organization. According to the bill, the chanting “Yushchenko!” and calling for a strictly humanitarian gesture. He stressed However, local elections in October Parliament resolved to establish duty tar- fresh, and fair, round of presidential elec- that the adoption of the law was the result were seen as a critical affirmation of iffs for export of this scrap and semiprod- tions. of a long period of debate within President Saakashvili’s leadership.