The Ukrainian Weekly 2008, No.29
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Ukraine’s scouts now part of world scouting movement — page 4. • Tony Blair speaks at Yalta European Strategy summit — page 10. • Sports, and more sports — pages 19-21. THEPublished U byKRAINIAN the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVI No. 27 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2008 $1/$2 in Ukraine Single Center party Verkhovna Rada recesses for summer without passing budget holds first convention Tymoshenko government survives no-confidence vote KYIV – The Verkhovna Rada tion that has reached 30 per- by Danylo Peleschuk adjourned for the summer on Friday, July cent. Kyiv Press Bureau 11, without passing a state budget for The prime minister, how- 2008. Proposed budgets submitted by the ever, claimed that inflation KYIV – Ukraine’s newest political Cabinet of Ministers and the president has begun to slow and she party held its inaugural convention were both rejected by the Rada, with the recently in hopes of establishing itself accused the Yushchenko government’s version obtaining 216 votes team of blocking anti-infla- publicly as a strong base of support for out of the 226 needed for passage and the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko’s tion measures she has pro- president’s draft receiving only 58 votes. posed. re-election – but only amid doubts of its Commenting on the Parliament’s fail- future on the political landscape. The vote for the no-con- ure to pass a budget, Verkhovna Rada fidence measure was Although aimed at potentially replac- Chairman Arseniy Yatsenyuk stated, ing the fledgling Our Ukraine People’s 174-32, with one abstention “This will have unbelievably negative Union (OUPU) and the Our Ukraine – and 49 deputies not voting. consequences for the economy in gener- People’s Self-Defense (OU-PSD) bloc, Voting to dismiss the al.” Single Center lacks any serious political Tymoshenko government Both drafts of the state budget were leverage in its infancy to do so, said were 172 members of the sent for revision to the Parliament’s Serhiy Taran, director of the International PRU, who were joined by Budget Committee, with 250 national Democracy Institute in Kyiv. deputies supporting the move. two deputies from the Our “The Single Center party has shown Mr. Yatsenyuk suggested that if drafts Ukraine – People’s Self- that it exists not only as a project, but as are combined into one document, an Defense (OU-PSD) bloc, Official Website of Ukraine’s Government a small political force,” said Mr. Taran. extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Viktor Topolov and Yurii Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in the Rada on “But it’s unrealistic at this point for it to Rada might be then convened. “If there But, both members of the July 11, when a vote of no-confidence in her gov- carry the president to a re-election. are 150 signatures for holding a meeting newly created Single Center ernment failed. There’s no solid electoral base for it yet.” and 226 votes in the hall, I will convene party. More than 2,000 delegates attended an extraordinary session,” he said. Prior to the vote on the no-confidence ignored, Mr. Lytvyn said, “We are tearing the July 12 convention, held at the Otherwise, the Rada is due to reconvene motion, the government presented a report up the country with the absence of serious Ukraina National Arts Palace in Kyiv, only in September. on its work. Volodymyr Lytvyn, leader of talk … about the current situation.” and elected National Deputy Ihor Kril of Also on the last day of its session the eponymous faction, commented that the OU-PSD as the new party’s leader. In the days after the Parliament began before the summer recess, the govern- “there was neither a report nor an objec- Members also voted unanimously on its summer recess, President Viktor ment of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko tive analysis of the situation.” adopting a political platform that pro- Yushchenko stressed the need to hold a survived a no-confidence vote in the He said that all who heard and saw motes matching Ukraine’s standard of special meeting of the Verkhovna Rada on Verkhovna Rada. The vote was proposed what was taking place in the Parliament’s living to that of Europe’s, ensuring fur- July 21-25 to consider amendments to the by the opposition Party of the Regions session hall, “observed a settling of ther democratic development, and creat- national budget for 2008. Presidential (PRU), which argued that the government accounts.” Noting that the health issues, (Continued on page 17) must be held accountable for rising infla- society’s malaise and other problems were (Continued on page 4) Thousands attend Soyuzivka festival Yalta European Strategy summit attracts Western elite, experts by Zenon Zawada President Mikheil Saakashvili, former Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, for- YALTA – What began with political mer Polish President Alexander hacks and policy wonks mulling Kwasniewski and former Slovak Prime Ukraine’s Euro-integration potential has Minister Mikulas Dzurinda. evolved in the past five years into a styl- The YES summit is hosted and ish affair for members of the Western financed by businessman Victor Pinchuk, elite and their experts to discuss global who has emerged as Ukraine’s ambassa- issues along Yalta’s breezy shores every dor to Europe’s wealthy and political summer. elite in hosting them for an annual cele- Lawmakers, bankers and businessmen bration of politics by day, and fine dining attending the fifth Yalta European and dancing by night. Strategy (YES) summit, held at the his- As a result of his public efforts, Mr. toric Livadia Palace on July 10-12, were Pinchuk has become Ukraine’s most visi- just as fixated on the global financial cri- ble and well-known philanthropist bil- sis and the European Union’s problems lionaire, launching numerous cultural, as Ukraine’s Euro-integration progress. educational and medical charity activities Russ Chelak Among those in attendance was former KERHONKSON, N.Y. – Some 5,000 people attended Soyuzivka’s second annual through the Victor Pinchuk Fund. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl The YES summit began on the eve of Ukrainian Cultural Festival on July 10-13, enjoying performances by singers, Rove, who decided to skip out on his a House Judiciary Subcommittee’s hear- dancers, musicians and comedians, as well as vendors’ and food courts, plus subpoena to testify before Congress on ing that requested Mr. Rove to testify dances, a varenyky-eating competition, a “Guitar Hero” contest and a special chil- July 11, opting to bask in Yalta’s sun and about the firing of federal prosecutors dren’s program. Above, a close-up of dancers from the Roma Pryma-Bohachevsky sea breeze and share his insider view on and selective prosecution of Democratic Dance Workshop as they perform on the festival stage. Detailed reports on the the U.S. presidential election this year. festivities will appear in upcoming issues of The Ukrainian Weekly. Also attending were Georgian (Continued on page 10) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2008 No. 29 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Tymoshenko defies Yushchenko Hoverlia vandalism suspect detained strengthen Ukraine’s positions on the Maltese tourism market, and tourist on oil and gas exploration KYIV – Russian police detained a exchanges with Malta. At the start of the Ukrainian citizen in Russia who is sus- meeting, Ukrainian President Viktor pected in the vandalism of Ukraine’s state by Pavel Korduban menting on the Vanco dispute (Associated Yushchenko said that in their private talks symbols on Mount Hoverlia back on Press, June 5). he and President Edward Fenech Adami Eurasia Daily Monitor October 19, 2007, a representative from Prime Minister Tymoshenko’s right- of Malta paid special attention to the the press service of the Ivano-Frankivsk Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko hand man, First Vice Prime Minister aspects of Ukraine’s European integration Oblast Procurator’s Office said on July ordered the government of Prime Oleksander Turchynov, challenged Mr. and dwelled on Malta’s involvement in 14. Russian police detained a resident of Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to allow the Gutierrez on the same day, saying that international efforts to recognize the Sumy region who is a member of the U.S. company Vanco to proceed with its the Cabinet was right to revoke Vanco’s Holodomor 1932-1933 as genocide of Eurasian Youth Union (EYU); extradition oil and gas exploration project in the license. Mr. Turchynov said that a special Ukrainian people. (Ukrinform) to Ukraine is being considered. Two Ukrainian part of the Black Sea. Visiting government commission he had chaired Russian citizens were also put on the Taras Shevchenko in Malta? U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos had confirmed that Vanco should be ban- international wanted list in connection Gutierrez also warned that the continuing ished from the Black Sea. “In spite of the with this case. In 2007 the Eurasian Youth KYIV – Ukraine is studying the possi- dispute over the project could damage pressure exerted on the government,” he Union said its representatives had bility of unveiling a monument to Taras Ukraine’s international reputation. said, “the deposits of the Black Sea and destroyed Ukraine’s state symbols on Shevchenko in Malta, President Viktor Ms. Tymoshenko, however, continues the Sea of Azov stay under state control.” Mount Hoverlia. The Security Service of Yushchenko told journalists on July 9. He to insist that the decisions made by her Mr. Turchynov also blamed “corrupt offi- Ukraine said that Ukrainian citizen noted that in several years the Ukrainians predecessor, the government of Prime cials” for devising schemes “aimed at will be marking the 200th anniversary of Leonid Savin, who has been a permanent Minister Viktor Yanukovych, to issue a embezzling this country’s strategic Shevchenko’s birth.