INSIDE: • The generation that never knew the USSR — page 3. • Alberta’s first Ukrainian Canadian premier — page 5. • Carpathian Winter Rituals on Fifth Avenue — page 13. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXV No. 1 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2007 $1/$2 in Ukraine Taras Shevchenko statue First 150 days of Yanukovych government stolen from Ontario park harken back to PM’s first term in office TORONTO – A five-meter-high That discovery supported the theory by Zenon Zawada bronze statue of the bard of Ukraine, that the statue had been stolen for the Kyiv Press Bureau Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861), erected value of the scrap metal, which police in a park in Oakville, Ontario, was estimated at about $20,000 (Canadian), KYIV – For those Ukrainians craving the days of Kuchma-era stability, sub- reported stolen on December 30. By according to the CBC. mission to the Russian Federation and a January 3 police had charged a local man On January 3 the CBC reported that centralized, administrative economic with possession of stolen property. Curtis Raae, 36, of Oakville, was facing charges of possessing stolen property policy, the first 150 days of the Anti- The statue was a 1951 gift to the pro- Crisis Coalition government have been a Communist Association of United over $5,000. He was released from cus- tody and is scheduled to appear in court relief. Ukrainian Canadians from the Kyiv- Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s based Soviet Ukrainian Society for on January 30. A second man was arrested but later second term as prime minister, which Cultural Relations with Foreign began on August 4, bears striking simi- Countries. released without charges being filed. The Burlington metal recycler where larity to his two-year tenure under for- The theft was discovered on mer President Leonid Kuchma, political December 30, but the statue may have the head of the statue was recovered told the Hamilton Spectator that he bought observers said, proving true the adage been stolen days earlier since it is located about the inability to teach old dogs new the 80-kilogram piece from two men who in an isolated area under recent residen- tricks. told him they were disposing of it on tial development. The Canadian Press Progressive reforms are halted or alto- behalf of the town of Oakville. reported that a police statement said: gether absent, Ukrainian dependence on According to CTV News, Gary Thomson “The statue was cut off at the legs and the Russian Federation is reinforced, of Thomson Metals and Disposal did not removed sometime between the 15th and government lacks transparency and cor- melt the piece down, choosing to keep it 31st of December 2006.” ruption remains unchecked, in the view as a conversation piece. When he discov- On January 2 the Canadian of experts – most of whom had scant Zenon Zawada ered it was stolen he contacted the police. Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) reported that praise for the coalition government. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych “We’ve seen statue pieces, but nothing the head of the two-ton statue had turned “It doesn’t have any particular pluses, during one of his appearances before of this quality. It was a beautiful looking up at a nearby smelter. Andrew but at the same time, it doesn’t have any the news media in Kyiv. piece, but it was cut up with a saw … Gregorovich of the Taras Shevchenko big minuses,” said Viktor Nebozhenko, even the head had cuts through it,” Mr. director of the Ukrainian Barometer Museum, which owns the statue, said he Thomson said. He paid $3.74 per kilo- Yekhanurov and Yulia Tymoshenko, Sociology Service and former close advi- learned the head had been found in grams for the head and some smaller political observers said. Burlington, about 25 kilometers south- sor to Mr. Kuchma. “The trouble is not even in that this west of Oakville. (Continued on page 4) “This government’s biggest advan- government and ruling coalition don’t tage, at least for Ukraine, is that we appear capable of establishing wise taxa- know just about how it will develop fur- tion, a favorable business environment ther. Its economic policies are built upon and a just court system,” wrote Yegor Yushchenko approves 2007 budget; the active use of administrative govern- Soboliev, a respected Ukrainian journal- ing methods and, in this sense, it strongly ist. “Something else is scary: it can ruin differs from the prior Yekhanurov gov- the current achievements.” observers speculate about possible deal ernment.” A return to centralization by Zenon Zawada Minutes after approving the resolu- Mr. Yanukovych set a regressive tone Kyiv Press Bureau tion, the Verkhova Rada dismissed Ihor for his government when appointing pre- Among the defining characteristics of Drizhchanyi as chief of the Security cisely the same ministers who served the Yanukovych government has been its KYIV – After twice vetoing Ukraine’s Service of Ukraine, which political with him during the Kuchma presidency, preference for a centralized, administra- 2007 government budget for failing to observers identified as another one of the namely First Vice Prime Minister tive economy. provide adequate pensions, President president’s demands. Mykola Azarov, Vice Prime Minister for The Socialist Party of Ukraine and the Viktor Yushchenko approved it on Mr. Yushchenko has asked Mr. Fuel and Energy Andrii Kliuyev and Communist Party of Ukraine, which December 22 after the Parliament passed Drizhchanyi to serve as an assistant sec- Vice Prime Minister for Humanitarian form the government coalition with the a resolution that considered his demands. Affairs Dmytro Tabachnyk. retary in the National Security and Party of the Regions, have had signifi- Specifically, the decree agrees to con- Although the coalition government Defense Council. cant influence in steering the country sider gradual increases in the minimum began with seven ministers representing He dismissed Mr. Drizhchanyi at the toward a command economy. wage and the minimum cost of living pro-Orange forces, only Minister of urging of his advisors, who have ques- While the Party of the Regions has standard. Minimum pension increases will Defense Anatolii Hrytsenko remains, and tioned his loyalty and effectiveness, made efforts to portray itself in the West also be considered after the first quarter, observers wonder whether his days are as supportive of free-market initiatives, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said. political observers said. numbered. It is unclear whether Borys It’s also possible the president its deeds thus far have largely proven “The president tried to win this way Tarasyuk will remain as foreign affairs otherwise. symbolically, but fell into the trap of approved the budget in exchange for minister. Borys Tarasyuk remaining as foreign Donbas business structures behind owning up to responsibility for a crisis,” During the first 150 days, the coalition the Party of the Regions had benefited said Andrii Yermolayev, president of the affairs minister, said Oleksander government led by the Party of the Turchynov, a Tymoshenko Bloc national enormously from government subsidies Russian-oriented Sofia Center for Social Regions was preoccupied with expand- provided by the Kuchma government Research. deputy. Mr. Tarasyuk’s status within ing its power, as well as capturing those Ukraine’s government remains unclear. and had many of them returned, said “In reaching the decision to sign the government organs that will serve as Oles Doniy, chair of the Kyiv-based For the third time, the Cabinet of budget, he reaffirmed that the govern- future resources in retaining the party’s Center for Political Values Research, Ministers barred him from attending its ment and coalition are supposed to carry grip on power, political observers said, which is supported by Ukrainian citi- weekly meeting on December 27. the cross of responsibility.” particularly the Ministry of Internal zens and is seeking international Yet, Mr. Yanukovych did not appear to Some political players, particularly Affairs. financing. oppose Mr. Tarasyuk’s presence during politicians of the Yulia Tymoshenko What the coalition government pre- Among the first such steps was the Bloc, speculated that President the December 21 visit to Kyiv by Russian sented to the public as installing order reintroduction of free economic zones, or Yushchenko agreed to approve the budg- Federation President Vladimir Putin. and stability was in fact the reversal and regions with reduced taxes designed to et in exchange for personnel concessions Ukraine’s 2007 budget is about $32 repeal of reforms made by the prior gov- from the coalition government. billion. ernments led by Prime Ministers Yurii (Continued on page 4) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2007 No. 1 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Quick, dirty fix to Ukraine’s Ukraine offers gas transit to Europe ing on a list of state properties subject to privatization in 2007, the Ukrayinska KYIV – Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Pravda website reported on December 28. long-term energy problem Minister Yurii Boiko declared in Kyiv on In rejecting the 2007 privatization list, by Roman Kupchinsky But the country’s dependence on for- December 28 that Ukraine is ready to Mr. Yushchenko said the Verkhovna Rada RFE/RL Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova Report eign gas is equally great – and the imme- increase natural gas transit from Russia overstepped its constitutional preroga- diacy of its need to address the issue to Europe through its territory in the tives, which allow lawmakers to compile Officials have recently touted plans to became crystal clear early in the year event of a break in Russian gas supplies a list of prohibited privatizations, not the diversify Ukraine’s energy balance by turn- when Russian gas cut-offs and price nego- through Belarus, Interfax-Ukraine report- opposite.