INSIDE:• Documentary on Holocaust survivors in Ukraine — page 3. • Ukrainian women’s group attends U.N. conference — page 4. • Concert marks St. Nicholas Cathedral’s centennial — page 13. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIV HE No.KRAINIAN 44 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2006 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine OurT Ukraine atU crossroads Embassy ofW Ukraine honors as internal crisis wracks party Ukrainian American astronaut by Zenon Zawada ing his resignation as Political Council Kyiv Press Bureau chair on October 19 Though delegates were chanting KYIV – Our Ukraine People’s Union “Katerynchuk,” the young handsome (OUPU), the political party most syn- leader didn’t step up to the plate. onymous with the Orange Revolution, is No one challenged Mr. Bezsmertnyi – at a do-or-die crossroads. not even the president himself. Winning 14 percent of the vote in the “If the triumvirate were kicked out of March elections, the Our Ukraine bloc, a the party in a public way, that would sig- six-party union in which OUPU is the nal a clean break from the past,” said key player, would now only win 6 per- Ivan Lozowy, president of the Kyiv- cent, according to recent polls, with no based Institute of Statehood and rebound in sight. Democracy, which is exclusively “I believe that the party, as a political financed by Ukrainian business dona- organism, today is going through a seri- tions. ous internal crisis,” President Viktor “That would be a good start. But Our Yushchenko, the party’s honorary chair, confirmed at the party’s third congress Ukraine has been doing the worst thing held on October 21. politically – exposing internal problems The problem is OUPU has lost its without solving them. It’s dirty laundry way, political experts said, with much of in the minds of voters,” he added. the blame falling on a detached, indeci- It’s doubtful anything will be resolved sive Mr. Yushchenko and Roman during subsequent negotiations, since Bezsmertnyi, his trusted confidante but a Mr. Bezsmertnyi and the inner circle he represents won’t surrender their power, politician who experts say lacks vision Yaro Bihun and conviction. experts said. “Our Ukraine has a leadership that Therefore, some form of a party split Cmdr. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper thanks Ambassador Oleh Shamshur for can’t form an independent policy and appears inevitable. the letter of greetings from President Viktor Yushchenko presented to her at the can’t form concrete positions,” said “For Our Ukraine, these will probably Embassy of Ukraine in Washington. Serhii Taran, chair of the Socio-Vymir be the last talks in such a format,” said Center for Sociological and Political Vitalii Kulyk, director of the Center for by Matthew Dubas National Aeronautics and Space Civil Society Research, which is funded Administration, the U.S. Department of Research and a member of the Pora WASHINGTON – The space shuttle political party. by French private grants, as well as State, the media and members of the donations and lectures. “After that, they crew of the Atlantis, mission STS-115, Ukrainian community were in attendance. At the party’s congress, Mr. was honored on Monday, October 23, at will either enter the (ruling) coalition and Ambassador Oleh Shamshur greeted Yushchenko called for a wholesale the Embassy of Ukraine at a special cleansing of the party’s leadership (Continued on page 3) reception. Representatives from the (Continued on page 4) cadres. While not referring to them by name, it was understood that this meant the departure of Mr. Bezsmertnyi, who is the public face of the party’s core group: Spielberg in Ukraine to promote Holocaust documentary Petro Poroshenko, Mykola Martynenko by Zenon Zawada greeted his friend Victor Pinchuk when Produced on a $1 million budget and and Oleksander Tretiakov. Kyiv Press Bureau setting foot in Ukraine for the first time directed by Ukrainian Sergey Bukovsky, Mr. Yushchenko made it abundantly to promote “Spell Your Name,” a docu- “Spell Your Name” is a 90-minute testi- clear that he wanted a change in leader- KYIV – “Finally, I am in my homeland.” mentary film about the Holocaust in mony featuring the harrowing accounts ship from the old guard. “I don’t want With these words, legendary film Ukraine that they jointly produced and of Holocaust survivors and their res- the party to become some kind of pri- director Steven Spielberg on October 18 financed. cuers, employing aesthetic, visuals in vately held stock company, where the recreating the era’s mood and atmos- main stockholders can monopolistically phere. decide what is needed for the party, but “Spell Your Name’s” premiere marked in reality resolve their own private inter- a landmark step in Ukraine’s long over- ests, or the interests of those close to due process of reconciling with its past them. The party and its governing organs horrors, which includes the Holocaust are responsible for this,” he stated. and the Great Famine of 1932-1933, a OUPU’s response to Mr. genocide against the Ukrainian people Yushchenko’s call to action perhaps known as the Holodomor. revealed the party’s precise dilemma. “I really believe that listening to the Firstly, Mr. Yushchenko didn’t offer stories of Holocaust survivors from all any suggestion or solution to the leader- around the world is going to change the ship crisis. world, and it already has in many ways,” Then Mr. Bezsmertnyi took the stage Mr. Spielberg told a Kyiv press confer- to adjourn the congress and declare a ence of about 100 journalists, photogra- three-week recess, jeopardizing any reso- phers and cameramen, some arriving lution to the crisis. The congress had from Moscow. lasted merely a half-hour when he called “A film like this is certainly going to the recess. bring tremendous attention to the Experts believe Mr. Bezsmertnyi Cutty Sark Co. Holocaust in the [sic] Ukraine, at Babyn called the recess as a mere delaying tac- Yar and in hundreds of towns and vil- tic in order to gain time to reinsert him- Billionaire Victor Pinchuk and American film legend Steven Spielberg talk to self in the party’s hierarchy after declar- reporters about “Spell Your Name” at an October 18 press conference in Kyiv. (Continued on page 12) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2006 No. 44 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Pro-presidential bloc goes into opposition PM announces gas deal with Russia Doubts about gas price, volume by Jan Maksymiuk in the 2004 Orange Revolution. Both RFE/RL Newsline blocs split in September 2005 because of KYIV – Prime Minister Viktor KYIV – Volodymyr Saprykin, an ener- their failure to co-exist in a coalition Yanukovych said at a joint news confer- gy expert from the Kyiv-based Razumkov Our Ukraine has announced that it is government. And they suffered an even ence with his Russian counterpart, Center, suggested to RFE/RL’s Ukrainian switching to the opposition and pulling worse failure while trying to form a new Mikhail Fradkov, in Kyiv on October 24 Service on October 24 that the price its ministers out of the government. Our coalition after the March parliamentary that Ukraine in 2007 will receive at least Ukraine will have to pay for imported gas Ukraine leader Roman Bezsmertnyi said elections. 55 billion cubic meters of imported gas in 2007 may be higher than $130 per in the Verkhovna Rada on October 17 The YTB announced the creation of an for no more than $130 per 1,000 cubic 1,000 cubic meters. According to Mr. that his bloc's decision to go into opposi- “interfactional” opposition association in meters, Ukrainian and international Saprykin, out of the 42.5 billion cubic tion was caused by its disagreement with the Verkhovna Rada last month and made media reported. “Negotiations are con- meters of Turkmen gas contracted for policies pursued by the ruling coalition former Prime Minister Tymoshenko its cluding in Russia .... As soon as the exec- Ukraine, RosUkrEnergo will take some 16 of the Party of the Regions, the Socialist leader. So far Ms. Tymoshenko has man- utives arrive in Ukraine, they will show billion cubic meters as payment for its Party and the Communist Party, which is aged to attract only two defectors from these contracts,” Interfax-Ukraine quoted transit service, thus leaving Kyiv with a often referred to as an Anti-Crisis the Socialist Party to this opposition Mr. Yanukovych as saying. This 55 bil- resulting gas shortage. “As of today, we Coalition. alliance. lion cubic meters of Central Asian gas, lack the knowledge of the price and the “In the past two months we witnessed Meanwhile, YTB National Deputy along with 20 billion cubic meters of gas volume of Russian gas that has to be sup- a break in Ukraine's domestic and for- Anatolii Semynoha told RFE/RL’s extracted domestically, will reportedly be plied to Ukraine next year. Without eign course that was supported by the Ukrainian Service that he and his col- sufficient to meet Ukraine’s needs in Russian gas, [Ukraine] will not hold its Ukrainian people during the election of leagues will readily welcome Our 2007. All of the gas imported by Ukraine balance [between gas needs and gas President Viktor Yushchenko. Integration Ukraine lawmakers among their ranks. is supplied through the Swiss-based imports],” Mr. Saprykin said. “Therefore, with the World Trade Organization is “Our position is comprehensible. We RosUkrEnergo intermediary and is $130 is not the final and the highest price being ruined, programs of cooperation formed an interfactional opposition bought by UkrGasEnergo, point. In other words, I think it is neces- between Ukraine and the [European union, which has been joined by some RosUkrEnergo’s joint venture with sary to expect an [additional] accord Union] have actually been halted,” Mr.