www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Central and East European Coalition meets with Bush – page 3. • Denver’s three-day commemoration of the Holodomor – page 11. • Parish in Manchester, N.H., marks centennial – page 13. THEPublished U byKRAINIAN the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVI No. 44 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2008 $1/$2 in Ukraine XX Congress of Ukrainians in America Gridlocked Rada takes steps meets in Cleveland, elects new leaders to deal with fi nancial crisis CLEVELAND – The Ukrainian new UCCA president and executive board. Congress Committee of America (UCCA) For the first time in the 68-year history on October 17-19 held its XX Congress of of the organization, a woman was elected Ukrainians in America, which was dedi- as UCCA president. The long-time execu- cated to the 75th anniversary of Ukraine’s tive director of the UCCA National Office, Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933. Close to Tamara Gallo Olexy, was unanimously 100 delegates representing UCCA branch- chosen to lead the UCCA for the next four es around the country, as well as delegates years. from Ukrainian national organizations Also elected to the presidium of the gathered here at the Sheraton Hotel to UCCA executive board were: Andrij Futey, amend by-laws, hear reports and elect a executive vice-president; Marie Duplak, executive secretary; Stepan Kerda, treasur- er; and Stefan Kaczaraj, National Council chair. Following the official opening of the convention with the singing of the Ukrainian and American national anthems, the first order of business was to elect indi- Nikolay Lazarenko/UNIAN viduals to preside over the convention. Volodymyr Stelmakh of the National Bank of Ukraine and President Viktor Elected were: Chair Orest Baranyk; Yushchenko at an October 30 meeting on the financial crisis. Deputy Chairs Roman Kozicky and Kenneth Wanio; and Secretaries Nicholas by Zenon Zawada International Monetary Fund on October Duplak (Ukrainian language), Andrij Szul Kyiv Press Bureau 26 to prevent Ukraine’s financial system and Eva Zelenko (English language). from collapsing. The congress also included workshops KYIV – Ukrainian lawmakers led by The Party of Regions of Ukraine and addressing issues of importance to the the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc approved on the Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense Ukrainian American community. October 29 the first reading of legislation bloc indicated they wouldn’t support anti- The first workshop, titled “The Future to stem the nation’s economic implosion, crisis legislation unless their proposed of Our Community,” moderated by Larssia but ongoing attempts by opponents to amendments were included, particularly a Kyj, president of the United Ukrainian attach amendments cast doubt on their measure to finance the pre-term parlia- American Relief Committee, included ability to pass the necessary second read- mentary election. ing by week’s end. speakers Mr. Kaczaraj, Ukrainian National As efforts to pass the legislation were Ukraine needs new legislation reform- Oles Yanchuk Association; Bohdan Harhaj, Ukrainian mired in gridlock, Ukraine’s economic dete- Newly elected UCCA President ing its banking system to fulfill its end of Tamara Gallo Olexy. (Continued on page 4) a $16.5 billion loan extended by the (Continued on page 8) IMF to loan Ukraine billions to cope with global crisis RFE/RL that of many countries with emerging weeks. age at that day’s parliamentary session. economies – has been starkly exposed by Ihor Burakinskiy, director of the “It would be a bad example for PRAGUE – The International the global economic downturn. Institute for Economic Studies and Parliament to block the plan,” he said. Monetary Fund (IMF) says it will loan Prices for the country’s major export, Political Consultations, told RFE/RL that Deputies loyal to Prime Minister Ukraine more than $16 billion to help it steel, have fallen amid diminishing the Ukrainian leadership is still far from Tymoshenko, who is again locked in a cope with the global economic crisis. demand from foreign buyers. At the working out a final anticrisis strategy. bitter power struggle with former ally Mr. The loan approval is the latest sign the Yushchenko, nonetheless blocked the IMF will try to play a fireman’s role in same time, foreign investors fleeing “If we are talking about the plan as a emerging markets have rushed out of document which has necessary support in vote, forcing an adjournment. rescuing emerging economies that are too They were demanding that the IMF weak to survive on their own. Ukraine’s stock market, helping to send it the legislative body, in the sense of a plummeting by 60 percent since the start draft law, then as of today such a plan loan be discussed prior to a draft law to The loan is to be used over the coming finance early parliamentary elections two years to bolster Ukraine’s teetering of September. does not exist,” Mr. Burakinskiy said. And the global credit shortage – which “There are a few documents prepared by called by Mr. Yushchenko in December banking sector. IMF Managing Director and opposed by Ms. Tymoshenko. It was Dominique Strauss-Kahn said on October comes as international commercial banks the government and a document prepared hold on to their capital amid the crisis by the National Security and Defense unclear when deputies would reconvene 26 that Ukraine is to receive the loan “to to examine legislation needed to secure maintain confidence and economic and rather than loan it – is severely limiting Council” headed by President the ability of the Ukrainian government, Yushchenko, he added. the loan. financial stability.” Ukraine’s political in-fighting means Ukraine has seen its exports, stock firms and banks to get new loans from The IMF bailout comes with condi- abroad to finance their operations. tions. Under the deal, Ukraine’s fractious the legislation faces a rough ride in market, banks and currency all severely Parliament – each main parliamentary weakened in the global financial crisis. All these pressures have sent the Parliament must adopt a raft of likely national currency, the hryvnia, downward unpopular anti-crisis measures. The IMF faction has put forward its own anti-crisis Mr. Strauss-Kahn said the IMF loan draft law. in recent weeks. It has fallen from an ear- hasn’t made the conditions public, but should help to protect companies and The IMF package is instrumental in lier rate of below 5 hrv to the U.S. dollar experts expect them to include cutting families from an almost certain further helping Ukraine stay afloat amid global to a rate of 6 hrv on October 27. Making government wages, pensions and subsi- deterioration of the country’s economic financial turmoil. things still worse is political turmoil in dies for household utilities, as well as condition. “It will guard against a deep The country’s economy has enjoyed an decline by insulating households and cor- Kyiv, where President Viktor Yushchenko increasing taxes on gasoline, alcohol and economic boom in recent years thanks to porations to the extent possible,” he said. and his former ally Prime Minister Yulia tobacco. a rise in prices for its main export, steel. Tymoshenko are again deadlocked in a President Yushchenko on October 27 Fragility in emerging economies But a recent slump in international power struggle. Their latest showdown called on national deputies to put their Ukraine’s economic fragility – like has kept Parliament in disarray for differences aside and approve the pack- (Continued on page 16) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2008 No. 44 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Moscow seeks to prolong Parliament backs bailout bill (YTB), Our Ukraine – People’s Self- Defense and the Volodymyr Lytvyn Bloc, KYIV – The Verkhovna Rada on Ms. Tymoshenko said she viewed this as a naval presence in Sevastopol October 29 adopted in its first reading a positive signal about restoration of the bill on immediate measures to prevent by Vladimir Socor Abkhazia and Transdnistria, where their extended democratic coalition. “I think negative fallout of the financial turmoil. the democratic coalition may be resumed, Eurasia Daily Monitor presence helped carve out a zone of The bill, which is supposed to be adopted and the Parliament will be able to work Russian control. Crimea has not become on October 30, was backed by 248 nation- October 23 successfully compared to previous a hot spot (conflict zone), as Ukrainian al deputies. The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, months,” she said. Last week and earlier For the first time since the Soviet era, officials such as Security Service of a majority of the Our Ukraine – People’s this week, deputies of the YTB had Russia’s Black Sea Fleet undertook an Ukraine Acting Chairman Valentyn Self-Defense factions, the Volodymyr blocked the parliamentary rostrum, insist- offensive operation in August of this year Nalyvaichenko correctly point out Lytvyn Bloc and two deputies of the ing that the ant-crisis bill be considered when it attacked Georgia, landing (Izvestia, October 22). But Moscow holds opposition Party of Regions, which sug- before any bill on financing the announced Russian ground forces in Abkhazia. The enough cards to hint at a potential con- gested its own anti-crisis bill, voted for Russian Fleet, based mainly in flict, for political leverage over Kyiv’s the document. The Communists did cast pre-term parliamentary elections. Sevastopol, misused Ukraine’s territory decisions on the Black Sea Fleet and votes. The presidential bailout bill envis- (Ukrinform) Kyiv-NATO relations. and abused Ukraine’s neutrality in ages the creation of a stabilization fund, Catherine II monument vandalized launching that operation. It did so with In their cumulative effect, these recent which is formed by means of privatization impunity, underscoring the deficit of developments have clearly enhanced the revenues, external and internal borrow- KYIV – Overnight on October 27-28, usable power, political leadership and Black Sea Fleet’s value in the eyes of ings, as well as funds from international unknown persons bombarded a monument international rule of law in the Black Sea Russia’s leadership, lending an added financial organizations.