YANUKOVYCH'S SEVEN STEPS WHICH PAGE JAMES SHERR SUMMARIZES PAGE LETTERS FROM ANGELS: VOLUNTEERS PAGE INCREASE KREMLIN HOPES OF 15 YEARS OF THE DISTINCTIVE BRING SMILES AND SUPPORT TO SWALLOWING UKRAINE 12 NATO-UKRAINE PARTNERSHIP 16 CHILDREN WITH CANCER 30 № 13 (36) AUGUST 2012 WWW.UKRAINIANWEEK.COM FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION Featuring selected content from The Economist |CONTENTS Teno Näätämo Paatsjoki Jakobselv BRIEFING FOCUS Tuloma Oulanka Torne Kemijoki Oulujoki A Petty Traitor, After New Climate Era: Jönisjoki Less Continental: Tohmajoki Lake Saimaa Hiitolanjoki Vuoksi Lake Ladoga Narva Klarälven Peipus (Lake Chudskoye) All: Why Volodymyr Global warming may boost or Gauja Salaca Why should Ukrainians Glama Daugava Lake Vänern Venta Lake Vättern Foyle Barta Sventoji Lielupe Erne Bann Neman Elbe Oder Viula Ems Hamburg Pregolya Lytvyn signs the damage Ukraine’s economy. Amerdam take care of their water Rotterdam London Rhine Meuse Rheindelta Scheldt Dnipro Don Bodensee the Alps notorious language Everything depends on how quickly Dnier supply? Lake Geneva Lake Balaton Cogilnic Psou Sava Danube Black Sea River Çoruh Soča Mino ВенеціяVenice Po Krka Lima Neretva IanbulСтамбул Ukraine adjusts to the climate Duoro Rona law Drin Evros Ebro Struma Neos Vardar Vjosë Tagus MediterraneanСередземноморський Basin басейн change Guadiana Increased Possible rise in sea-levels; Change in ecosyem Area of climate change Climate change precipitation city under threat of flooding 4 Decreased 6 8 Negative agricultural in Europe precipitation Impa on mountain areas Permafro today change Wildfire Melting glacier Permafro in 2050 Compiled by the ZOI Environment Network, July 2011 POLITICS Data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) adapted for the Second Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters. UNECE, 2011 Boundary Conditions: Trotting Towards Putin: The idea of planet-wide The seven steps of Viktor Yanukovych environmental boundaries, that give hope to the Kremlin to beyond which humanity would swallow Ukraine. Projections that go at its peril, is gaining ground would be better never coming true 10 12 SECURITY Away From the Public James Sherr Operation Self- Eye: The new law on summarizing 15 years Destruct? public procurement will of a distinctive Authorities are conceal the scale of public partnership between resolutely weakening funds distribution to pro- NATO and Ukraine the state’s defense capacity government businesses 14 16 18 ECONOMICS INVESTIGATION A Homeless Generation: Unwelcome Guests at the UNESCO-Ukraine: The ruling political forces Inn: Protecting speculate on the housing Entities linked to Ukrainian issue with an eye on the Yanukovych have their eyes historical heritage upcoming elections on yet another historical from Ukrainians 20 monument in Kyiv 24 authorities? 27 SOCIETY HISTORY Vitamin L for Kids: Letters from Angels: Firsthand Marek Michalak, Poland’s Volunteers bring Experience of the Ombudsman for Children, happiness and KGB’s “Refinement”: talks about an upbringing support to children Memoirs without corporal with cancer of dissident Vasyl punishment 28 30 Lisoviy 34 CULTURE & ARTS The Khersones Betrayal: Graphic Novels: In July 1942, the soviet In spite of their rapid development in command shamefully retreated Ukraine, comic books rarely capture from Sevastopol, leaving its wide public attention. The Ukrainian defenders to the mercy of fate Week finds out why this is the case 38 42 NAVIGATOR The Best 8 Roles Cave People: of Bohdan Stupka What about Tepe-Kermen, a lost town in the Crimean mountains, has lured inhabitants for many centuries 46 48 The Ukrainian Week № 13 (36) August 2012 Mailing address: PO Box 2, Kyiv, 03067 Founder: ECEM Media Ukraine LLC Publisher: The Ukrainian Week LLC Publisher address: vul. Mashynobudivna 37, Kyiv 03067 Ukraine First published in January 2010 E-mail: [email protected], Tel.: (044) 351-1300 State registration certificate 16412-4884P of March 13, 2010 www.ukrainianweek.com Bohdan Andriytsev, Director, ECEM Media Ukraine LLC Print: The Novy Druk, LLC, 1 Mahnitohorska Str. Serhiy Lytvynenko, Editor-in-Chief, The Ukrainian Week Ordering number: 12-5481. Print run: 15,000 Natalia Romanec, Shaun Williams, Editors; Sent to print on 2 August 2012 Anna Korbut, Translator Free distribution № 13 (36) AUGUST 2012|THE UKRAINIAN WEEK|3 BRIEFING| 19 July 20 July 25 July The economic part of Top EU officials say that the Oleksandr Yaroshenko, head the Association Agree- Association Agreement with of the united opposition’s of- ment between Ukraine Ukraine cannot be signed fice in Donetsk Oblast, reports and the EU is initialed in due to the backtracking of a surge of repression against Brussels democracy in Ukraine opposition forces in his region A Petty Traitor, After All Author: fter Volodymyr Lytvyn filed his resignation as lows him to get through to the next convocation of Oles Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (VR), suppos- parliament (apparently, administrative leverage will Oleksiyenko, edly in protest against the passing of the lan- also help him win in his constituency in Zhytomyr Oleksandr Aguage law in violation of the procedure, there Oblast now). However, this means that Mr. Lytvyn Mykhelson were only two options for him. One was to completely will now turn into a politician who is completely un- block any version of the law. In that case, he would der the control of the government which will drop enter into an open conflict with the Party of Regions, him at the first opportunity. but the move could bring him a lengthy political ca- Needless to say, Mr. Lytvyn is offering excuses, but his reer as a prudent politician in the future. The other arguments now appear ridiculous. “If you take the was to find a convenient move for his image which is Constitution and the parliamentary procedure, the extremely important for a candidate running in a VR Speaker only has responsibilities and no rights,” Ukrainian-speaking constituency, while subtly play- he told journalists on July 31 after the meeting of his ing into the hands of the Party of Regions. On July People’s Party. “If parliament does not approve any 30, the VR took a vote of confidence on Mr. Lytvyn recommendations made by the Speaker, he is obliged and did not accept his resignation, after which, he to immediately sign the law submitted for his signa- signed the scandalous language law sponsored by ture.” A day earlier, when the VR rejected his letter of Party of Regions’ MPs Kolesnichenko and Kivalov. resignation, the Party of Regions and their allies did Thus, Mr. Lytvyn chose the second scenario. It al- indeed reject Mr. Lytvyn’s amendments to the lan- The month 19 July 1971 21 July 1882 22 July 1942 in history Vitali Klitschko, Ukrainian David Burliuk, Futur- The Wehrmacht completes boxer and politician, is born ist painter and poet the occupation of Ukraine of Cossack descend, as the soviet army retreats is born in Ukraine from Sverdlovsk, Luhansk Oblast 4|THE UKRAINIAN WEEK|№ 13 (36) AUGUST 2012 |BRIEFING 27 July 28 July 31 July 1 August The Kyiv Prosecutor cancels Ukrainian football player Speaker Lytvyn signs the The Ukrainian women’s the order of the tax authori- Andriy Shevchenko ends notorious language law and quadruple scull team ties to open a criminal case his sports career and forwards it for Viktor Yanu- win the country’s first- against the Director General joins Natalia Korolevs- kovych’s signature ever gold medal in row- of TVi, Mykola Kniazhytsky ka’s Ukraine-Forward ing at the Olympics guage law. Still, journalists wanted to hear when ex- actly he was going to sign it, while he continued to tell Transit to Asiope them tall tales about submitting his proposals for the protection of the Ukrainian language to the president On July 30, the Verkhovna Rada hastily ratified the CIS Free Trade and not signing the law before he gets an answer from Zone agreement (CIS FTZ). It can bring some benefits for Ukraine, Mr. Yanukovych. “I think this will happen in the next but at the same time, it creates extra risks on its course towards eco- few days,” he finally squeezed out. Two hours later, nomic integration with the EU. Among other things, it entails sanc- parliament’s press-service reported that Mr. Lytvyn tions against a CIS FTZ member-state that enters into new trade had signed the law. There was no answer from the deals, which can cause losses to other member-states. president regarding his recommendations. This One of the biggest problems for Russia in its trade relations with makes the whole “to sign or not to sign” story look like Ukraine is the re-export of goods from third countries, including Eu- a well-designed “convenient move by Mr. Lytvyn”. rope, if the Ukraine-EU FTA comes into effect. However, Ukrainian Even if articles 48 and 131 of the VR Procedure de- experts say that this issue can be solved through bilateral agreements. mand that he sign the law after parliament has re- Another problem for the Kremlin is the potential increase of Ukrai- jected his amendments, the blatant violations of the nian exports to Russia, resulting from upgraded production facilities, procedure during the voting for the law, remain. should the Ukrainian economy adapt to European standards. More- Thus, Mr. Lytvyn has essentially supported the anti- over, China is also interested in increasing investment into Ukraine if Ukrainian act and given the green light to illegiti- the latter draws closer to European norms. However, this runs coun- mate actions, which has become common for the cur- ter to Russia’s key geo-economic interest of being the regional leader rent parliament. on post-soviet territory, as well as leading and actually gaining the Mr. Lytvyn’s potential voters would probably like to most benefit from the development of cooperation with the EU. The know the motives for this move.