www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Ruslana Lyzhychko speaks in Washington — page 3. • On the road to Chornobyl — page 9. • “Extreme” skiing in Ukraine’s Carpathians — centerfold. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXV No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2007 $1/$2 in Ukraine National University Political stalemate in Ukraine leads to talk of compromise by Zenon Zawada of Kyiv Mohyla Academy Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – Caught in a stalemate, strengthens ties with U.S. President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime CHICAGO – The National University Minister Viktor Yanukovych have begun of Kyiv Mohyla Academy recently attempts at reaching compromise in enlarged its contacts and support in the Ukraine’s political crisis, privately United States through an information exchanging lists of proposals and negoti- campaign and fund-raising drive aimed ating points. at expanding the university’s programs In the most significant effort so far, with U.S. institutions and building a Mr. Yushchenko offered on April 10 to more financially secure base for the delay pre-term parliamentary elections future. beyond the scheduled May 27 date, A total of $350,000 was raised during which is widely viewed as unrealistic. a three-week period when the Kyiv He insisted, however, that pre-term elec- Mohyla Foundation of America hosted tions were the only way out of the crisis, the university president, Dr. Viacheslav and he said he expects concessions. Briukhovetsky, at events in the Ukrainian The overture didn’t impress Mr. communities of Washington, northern Yanukovych, who maintained the presi- dent should withdraw his April 2 decree New Jersey, Philadelphia, Detroit and UNIAN/Andrii Mosiyenko Chicago. to dismiss Parliament – which the prime minister described as unconstitutional – Verkhovna Rada Chairman Oleksander Moroz (left), Prime Minister Viktor Dr. Briukhovetsky also conducted Yanukovych (center) and Communist Party of Ukraine Chair Petro Symonenko meetings at Stanford University in or allow the Constitutional Court to review it and make a ruling. appear before tens of thousands of supporters on Independence Square during California, Georgetown University in an April 11 rally. Washington and Bard College in New “If the president repeals this decree, that will be the first step to calm socie- York. While Mr. Yanukovych continues to Stetsiuk, a Constitutional Court judge “We established new relationships of ty,” the prime minister said. “If he does- n’t do that, the consequences, which are stress the need for the Constitutional who was Our Ukraine’s parliamentary cooperation with these distinguished uni- Court to rule on the legality of the presi- appointment. versities. Developing personal contacts unknown, will be on his conscience.” While the president and prime minis- dent’s decree, it appeared increasingly This heavy pressure prompted Court (Continued on page 4) ter exchanged their confidential propos- doubtful the judges would issue a ruling Chair Ivan Dombrovskyi’s attempt to als, they continued rattling their swords anytime soon. resign, they said. in public and had their allies engage in Five Constitutional Court judges said The judges said they would not review further political posturing and maneuver- at an April 10 press conference that they the presidential decree until they were ing throughout government organs. were under persistent external pressure, provided with an environment enabling Yushchenko appeals Addressing more than 50,000 support- without directly identifying the source them to make an independent ruling. ers on Independence Square on April 11, but implying it was the coalition govern- They also asked the government to pro- for world recognition Mr. Yanukovych proposed that one of the ment. vide them with personal security guards. ways to resolve the crisis is to hold presi- “Brazen, public threats against the Judge Viktor Shyshkin, who was of the Holodomor dential elections and parliamentary elec- judges of the Constitutional Court – cer- appointed to the court by the president, tions at the same time. criticized the coalition government for KYIV – President Viktor tain political forces pressuring them with The next day, the president said there the goal of scaring them into directing planting its demonstrators in front of the Yushchenko on April 11 called on Constitutional Court and exacerbating an currently is no constitutional basis for the court’s decisions towards politicized world leaders to recognize the Great already tense political situation. holding pre-term presidential elections, approaches and passing decisions advan- Famine of 1932-1933 – known in Four of the five judges are western which could only take place in the event tageous for them – in our view, don’t Ukrainian as the Holodomor – as of his death, illness, resignation or Ukrainians, three of whom are presiden- genocide against the Ukrainian nation. allow us to make judicial rulings on the tial appointees, which caused suspicion impeachment for crimes. constitutional submission from the He asked world leaders to act before He criticized the coalition for refusing national deputies of Ukraine,” said Petro (Continued on page 8) the 75th anniversary of the Famine, to engage in constructive dialogue and which will be marked in 2008. for further pursuing its campaign to “As president of Ukraine, I am monopolize the Ukrainian government. calling on you to support the adop- tion of a United Nations resolution No money, no rulings to condemn Ukraine’s Holodomor At its April 11 session the Cabinet of and [I am calling on] parliamentari- Ministers issued a resolution refusing the ans from all over the world to president’s order to finance pre-term declare the Great Famine of 1932- elections, stating that the president’s 1933 an act of genocide against the decree violates Ukrainian law and that a people of Ukraine,” he said in his corresponding National Security and statement. He underscored that such Defense Council (NSDC) resolution vio- recognition would play a role in pre- lates the budget code. venting genocides in the future. Minister of Justice Oleksander President Yushchenko said Lavrynovych said the president should Ukraine appreciates the solidarity adhere to the parliamentary ruling that and support of the international com- his decree was unconstitutional. munity. “Our state is thankful to In response, NSDC Chair Vitalii Australia, Georgia, Estonia, Canada, Haiduk said the elections will be Lithuania, Poland, the United States financed by the state budget – an order of America and Hungary, whose par- that will be enforced by legal means. He (Continued on page 4) said the $68 million needed to conduct UNIAN/Oleksander Kosariev elections is in the budget’s reserve fund. Our Ukraine supporters march during April 11 demonstrations in Kyiv. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2007 No. 15 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Yushchenko radicalizes Court postpones its hearings President, law enforcement chiefs meet KYIV – The Constitutional Court of KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko as political crisis deepens Ukraine has postponed hearings on the told an April 10 meeting of the heads of by Taras Kuzio police planted explosives in the offices of dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada until Ukrainian law enforcement agencies that Eurasia Daily Monitor Pora, a youth-oriented NGO, and accused April 17, Interfax reported on April 10. “all law enforcement and security agen- April 6 them of being “terrorists.” Also on April 10, five Constitutional cies should undertake a peacekeeping • Third, the cancellation of the popular Court judges complained about pressure mission and stay away from political On Monday, April 2, President Viktor “Toloka” television program on State exerted on them and asked for the state to conflicts,” Interfax reported, quoting Yushchenko issued a decree disbanding Channel 1 brought back memories of provide them with bodyguard services. Defense Minister Anatolii Hrytsenko. Parliament and plunging Ukraine into a media censorship. Ukraine’s security services have agreed to Mr. Hrytsenko also said that participants political crisis. Elections are set for May • Fourth, there was the contract killing on provide them with temporary protection. in the meeting did not discuss whether to 27 – before the Constitutional Court will March 28 of Maksym Kurochkin, head of The judges also said that they cannot introduce a state of emergency or rule on the legality of the decree. the pro-Yanukovych “Russian Club” during decide on high-profile cases unless there whether to beef up law enforcement and Mr. Yushchenko is a highly cautious the 2004 elections. His high-profile political are conditions that would allow unbiased security agencies to deal with the situa- and moderate politician who had previous- and business ties to the regime of former rulings. “The president of Ukraine has tion. According to Mr. Hrytsenko, two ly ruled out disbanding Parliament. Until President Leonid Kuchma complemented issued a decree to dissolve the Verkhovna groups are monitoring the activity of mid-March only the Yulia Tymoshenko Mr. Kurochkin’s links to organized crime. Rada within his constitutional authority. Ukrainian law-enforcement agencies: Bloc supported a call for early elections, Finally, there is also a personal factor. Regretfully, some well-known statesmen one operates on behalf of the president which were officially not due until March Mr. Yushchenko’s decision to disband and political