www.ukrweekly.com ХРИСТОС НАРОДИВСЯ! CHRIST IS BORN! THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXI No. 51-52 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 29, 2013 $1/$2 in Ukraine McCain accuses Moscow Yanukovych gets loans, cheaper of blocking Ukraine’s EU path gas in opaque deal with Putin by Zenon Zawada KYIV – Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on December 17 signed a series of agreements with the Russian Federation government and its natural gas monopoly, Gazprom, that will bind Ukraine’s economy and politics to Russia and close the door to an Association Agreement with the European Union for at least the next two years. The key agreements consist of a condi- tional reduction in prices for Russian gas by a third (subject to a quarterly review) and a loan of $15 billion, in the form of periodic $3 billion purchases of two-year bonds, at an annual interest rate of 5 percent (amounting to a total interest payment of $1.5 billion). The first $3 billion tranche was bought by Russia this week. What’s not known is the concessions Mr. Yanukovych surrendered in Moscow to get these conditions, fueling speculation that Zenon Zawada they were significant: either requirements Kobzar Taras Sylenko sings Kozak bal- UNIAN to buy more Russian gas, a stake in lads to demonstrators occupying the U.S. Sens. John McCain (foreground) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on the Euro- Ukraine’s state-owned gas transit system, Kyiv City Council building on December Maidan in Kyiv on December 15. or what’s most feared, commitments to join 9. On the right, a protester holds a plac- the Eurasian Economic Union to be support for pro-EU protesters, said Russian ard reading “Yanukovych, diabolical son, by Golnaz Esfandiari launched in 2015. you have sold Ukraine.” RFE/RL President Vladimir Putin was not known “So far, it’s not clear what the Ukrainian for giving away money. side has offered for such a concession from quarter century from 2017 to 2042, just for WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. John McCain The influential senator was referring to Gazprom, which is a very disturbing aspect a $100 per thousand cubic meter gas dis- (R-Ariz.) says Russia is trying to keep a deal announced on December 17 after a of these Russian-Ukrainian deals,” said count. The most obvious concession that Ukraine from joining the European Union. meeting in Moscow between Mr. Putin and Alexander Paraschiy, the head of research at Ukraine might have offered Gazprom is to In a December 18 interview with RFE/ his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Concorde Capital investment bank in Kyiv. increase gas purchase volumes by 20 to 30 RL, Sen. McCain, who has just returned “Recall that in 2010, Ukraine extended from a visit to Ukraine where he expressed (Continued on page 15) the lease of the Russian Black Sea Fleet by a (Continued on page 3) UNA General Assembly gathers for 2013 annual meeting by Roma Hadzewycz utive officers, First Vice-President Michael lion, and where the economy is improving happy to report that general administrative Koziupa, Second Vice-President Eugene at a snail’s pace.” and fraternal benefit expenses fell from a KERHONKSON, N.Y. – The Ukrainian Oscislawski and Director for Canada Myron However, he underscored, “The UNA is high point of $3.7 million at the end of National Association’s General Assembly Groch. Also attending were: Auditing moving in the right direction by reposition- 2011 to $2.65 million at the end of 2012, convened at the Soyuzivka Heritage Center Committee members Eugene Serba and Dr. ing itself in this new financial environment.” and $1.9 million as of September of this on Friday through Sunday, December 6-8, for Wasyl Szeremeta; and Advisors Maya Lew, Similarly, UNA Treasurer Lisovich stated: year. Progress is being made and we must its regular annual meeting to review the fra- Nicholas Fil, Stephanie Hawryluk, Gloria “The UNA continues to make progress as we continue to be adaptable during these ternal benefit society’s activity for the past Horbaty, Andrij Szul and Luba Poniatyszyn navigate through difficult times. Regulatory changing and challenging times.” year and to adopt a plan of action for 2014. Keske. Unable to attend the meeting were changes not favorable to small fraternal UNA Secretary Kozak focused on grow- Reports were delivered by the three full- Auditor Slavko Tysiak, and Advisors societies and continued stagnant economy ing the UNA’s membership. time executive officers of the UNA: Andrew Futey, Ewhen Osidacz, Lubov continue to be our greatest challenges.” “Complementing the branch secretary (the President Stefan Kaczaraj, National Streletsky and Olya Czerkas. “In order to meet the demands of new traditional core of the UNA membership Secretary Christine Kozak and Treasurer President Kaczaraj noted in his report to capital requirements, an expense reduction base), the UNA contracts with professional Roma Lisovich. All other General Assembly the General Assembly: “To guarantee the initiative was implemented in 2012,” she agents in states where the UNA is licensed members – executive officers, advisors and future of the UNA, the organization has to continued. “Whereas other insurance com- to do business. The UNA continues to grow auditors – as well as the editor-in-chief of be financially sound, and that means panies can issue stock to raise capital, fra- and develop a separate production arm uti- the UNA’s official publications, Svoboda improvement of our bottom line and ternal societies do not have this option. lizing contracted field agents.” This, she and The Ukrainian Weekly, had the oppor- increase in surplus. This is not an easy task Their course of action is limited to increas- explained, “is carefully fostered in order to tunity to deliver addenda to their written in an economy where returns on invest- ing sales to generate more income (difficult build a basic core of loyal agents.” reports. Soyuzivka Manager Nestor ments are low, where the regulatory envi- in a stagnant economy). UNA sales are Other key players in the enrollment of Paslawsky also delivered a report. ronment is changing, where the unemploy- increasing over 2012 and we have been members are insurance/annuities profes- Present at the meeting in addition to the ment rate is 7.3 percent and the number of successful in reducing UNA’s expense lev- full-time executives were three other exec- unemployed persons is in excess of 12 mil- els. This was quite a challenge, but I am (Continued on page 5) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 29, 2013 No. 51-52 COMMENTARY In the balance: A free Ukraine Sen. John McCain visits Kyiv President suspends four officials KYIV – Visiting Kyiv, U.S. Sen. John McCain KYIV – President Viktor Yanukovych has by Rodney Frelinghuysen America for decades, they remain devoted on December 14 met with opposition and suspended four officials for abuse of power to their homeland. religious leaders, as well as with the in quashing pro-EU protests on November That is precisely why they are watching As a child in the 1960s, I often accompa- Ukrainian foreign affairs minister. He also 30 that left dozens of people injured. The nied my late father, a member of Congress at developments in Ukraine with growing met with demonstrators and viewed presidential decrees suspending Kyiv state that time, to the Ukrainian church on a street alarm. In Kyiv, hundreds of thousands of Independence Square – where several thou- Ukrainians gather to counter their coun- administration head Oleksandr Popov and corner of a busy highway in Hanover sand pro-EU protesters are gathered – from try’s shift to Russia into the arms of National Security and Defense Council Vice- Township, N.J. This was more than a place of the top floor of the Labor Unions Building. worship – it was the center of a large and Vladimir Putin away from the West and Chair Volodymyr Sivkovych appeared on the Sen. McCain told Hromadske.tv that he active local Ukrainian community that has Europe. The issue that ignited the protests presidential website on December 14. Also believes in “a free Ukraine,” adding, “It is prospered for well over a century in a corner was President Viktor Yanukovych’s shelv- named as suspended were the chief and amazing, I’ve never seen something like this.” of what is now my Congressional District. ing of an Association Agreement with the deputy chief of Kyiv’s police force. Mr. Ukrainians first came to New Jersey in a European Union (EU) and his government’s The senator’s trip came as tens of thousands Yanukovych held talks on December 13 wave of immigration under the Russian turn toward closer ties with Russia. of Ukrainians took part in pro-government with the leaders of the opposition, but no tsars and then later after the Soviet Union Moscow has put heavy pressure on Ukraine and pro-EU demonstrations on neighboring breakthrough in resolving the crisis was crushed an independent Ukraine in the to join the Russia-led Customs Uunion. squares in downtown Kyiv. Sen. McCain reported. The president, who survived a no- (R-Ariz.) met over dinner with heavyweight 1920s. Successive generations found their The U.S. State Department is correct to confidence vote earlier this month, rejected boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, head of way to northern New Jersey, where many remind the Yanukovych government of the demands that the government resign and the opposition UDAR party; nationalist lead- were employed at a local paper board fac- people’s right to peaceably assemble. But for new elections. (RFE-RL, with reporting er Oleh Tiahnybok; and Batkivshchyna party tory or woolen mills.