www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Medvedev’s second visit pulls Ukraine closer to Russia – page 3. • Complete results of elections at the UNA Convention – page 4. • Reporter’s Notebook: Asking “Why?” in Zaporizhia – page 13. THEPublished U by theKRA Ukrainian NationalIN AssociationIAN Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVIII No. 22 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 30, 2010 $1/$2 in Ukraine Ukrainian National Association holds 37th Convention by Roma Hadzewycz KERHONKSON, N.Y. – The Ukrainian National Association held its 37th Regular Convention here at the Soyuzivka Heritage Center on May 20-23, re-electing the vast majority of incumbents to positions on the fraternal organization’s General Assembly. Re-elected by acclamation were four Executive Committee members, President Stefan Kaczaraj, National Secretary Christine E. Kozak, Treasurer Roma Lisovich and Director for Canada Myron Groch; and all three Auditing Committee members, Slavko Tysiak (chairman), Gene Serba and Dr. Wasyl Szeremeta. (Mr. Serba, elected in 2006 as an advisor, had been appointed to the Auditing Committee to fill the vacancy created after the death of Dr. Vasyl Luchkiw.) Also elected by acclamation were the two other members of the six-member Executive Committee, First Vice-President Michael Roma Hadzewcz Koziupa (previously the second vice-presi- Elected by acclamation at the UNA’s 37th Regular Convention were (from left): Director for Canada Myron Groch, First dent) and Second Vice-President Eugene Vice-President Michael Koziupa, National Secretary Christine E. Kozak, President Stefan Kaczaraj, Treasurer Roma Oscislawski (previously an advisor). Lisovich, Second Vice-President Eugene Oscislawski and Auditors Gene Serba, Dr. Wasyl Szeremeta and Slavko Tysiak. Delegates to the quadrennial convention, who arrived at Soyuzivka from across the York), Oleh Palaschenko (Ohio), Olya also served the UNA as an auditor, and the second time the UNA was holding its United States and Canada, also elected 11 Czerkas (Florida) and Luba Poniatyszyn Advisor Al Kachkowski, who also held the convention at Soyuzivka, which he advisors to serve on the General Assembly: Keske (California). Messrs. Futey, Osidacz, office of director for Canada. described as the American Carpathian Maya Lew (New York state), Andrew Futey Szul and Palaschenko, and Ms. Keske are The convention was opened with a brief Mountains. An opening prayer was offered (Ohio), Ewhen Osidacz (Quebec), Nicholas newcomers to the General Assembly. ceremony at the heritage center’s monument by Dr. Holubec. Fil (New York), Stephanie Hawryluk (New Two members of the 2006-2010 General to Taras Shevchenko, where participants Afterwards, the women members of the York), Gloria Horbaty (Connecticut), Lubov Assembly announced they were retiring: heard welcoming remarks from President Streletsky (Pennsylvania), Andrij Szul (New First Vice-President Zenon Holubec, who Kaczaraj. Mr. Kaczaraj noted that this was (Continued on page 4) Ukraine in danger: An end SBU attempts to pressure rector to citizens’ monitoring of police? of Ukrainian Catholic University by Zenon Zawada by Marta Kolomayets inform the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyiv Press Bureau any planned student actions or unrest, CHICAGO – In tactics reminiscent of recalled Father Gudziak. Ukraine in danger: Ukraine’s civil soci- the Soviet era, a Lviv representative from “I was not an informant during the days ety has begun to report on authoritarian the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU, the of the Soviet Union,” said Mr. Marynovych, policies and rights abuses by the adminis- successor to the KGB) paid a visit to the who was a prisoner of conscience and spent tration of President Viktor Yanukovych. This rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University seven years in Perm’s labor camps and article, the third in this series, examines on May 18. three years in exile in Kazakhstan. “And threats to citizens’ monitoring of govern- The rector of the Ukrainian Catholic I’m not about to start in an independent ment. University, the Rev. Dr. Borys Gudziak, Ukraine,” he had noted. was asked to sign a letter presented by the Nine years ago, the SBU presented the KYIV – When Internal Affairs Minister SBU. Although he did not read the text of Rev. Gudziak with a veiled threat of depor- Anatolii Mohyliov met with German the letter and did not sign anything (see tation, but pressure from the news magazine Ambassador to Ukraine Hans-Jurgen memorandum below), the Rev. Gudziak The Economist and then U.S. Ambassador Heimsoeth in late March, he assured the said he assumes it was in the same vein as to Ukraine Carlos Pascual put an end to diplomat that his changes to the country’s the message delivered during a 2001 visit actions of the overzealous police. police department “would only support the from the SBU. This week once again (May 23) the improvement of controls to ensure human In March 2001 the Rev. Gudziak and his Economist published a piece on the “spooks rights.” fellow vice-rectors, including Myroslav of Russia and Ukraine,” noting that “given Yet, by then Mr. Mohyliov had already Marynovych, were visited by officials of the way the SBU has been behaving of late, the SBU, who were disturbed by student taken swift measures to severely reduce the Zenon Zawada the difference between its tactics and those ability of Ukrainian citizens to monitor the protests hoping to bring down then of the Russia’s FSB seems to be narrow- activity of their own police, who have a Yevhen Zakharov of the Kharkiv President Leonid Kuchma. The campaign, ing.” well-established record for corruption and Human Rights Group said Ukraine’s known as “Ukraine without Kuchma” The students of the Ukrainian Catholic abuse of the law. new police chief, Internal Affairs began soon after the slaying of Ukrainian University, which reopened in Lviv more Within a week of assuming office, Minister Anatolii Mohyliov, has dis- journalist and investigative reporter Heorhii than 15 years ago (it had been closed down missed respected human rights activists Gongadze. (Continued on page 10) from monitoring the country’s police. In 2001 the SBU asked the rectorate to (Continued on page 9) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 30, 2010 No. 22 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS The FSB returns to Ukraine Biden speaks with Yanukovych (PRU) is planning to table in Parliament by Taras Kuzio undertake this activity. Foreign siloviki are next week a bill on basic languages in WASHINGTON – The White House Ukraine so that the Verkhovna Rada can Eurasia Daily Monitor banned from undertaking “operative-search” Office of the Vice-President on May 24 adopt it before the end of the current ses- activities on Ukrainian territory. issued the following “Readout of the Vice After the second round of Ukraine’s 2010 Former SBU Chairman Valentyn sion, faction member Vadym Kolesnichenko President’s Call with Ukrainian President said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine elections, Russia demanded that President Nalyvaichenko has pointed out that the Viktor Yanukovych.” The full text of the Viktor Yanukovych undertake measures to 2000-2009 stationing of FSB officers in on May 25. “It [the bill] will put everything release read: “Vice-President Joe Biden and in place and enshrine Ukraine’s commit- improve relations between both countries. Sevastopol was illegal under Ukrainian law. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych ments to the Council of Europe on the Moscow demanded that Mr. Yanukovych “The protocol signed in 2000 whereby FSB spoke today by telephone. They discussed Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, re-admit the Federal Security Service (FSB) units were stationed in Crimea never was in the steps Ukraine is taking to put its econo- ensuring the right of territorial communities, to the Black Sea Fleet (BSF) and “end all conformity with Ukrainian legislation,” Mr. my on a stable path to recovery. They also and most importantly, the right of all people cooperation with the Central Intelligence Nalyvaichenko revealed, meaning that discussed issues of bilateral and regional to use their own language within the powers Agency” (Kommersant Vlast, February 22). President Leonid Kuchma had agreed to the importance, including Ukraine’s progress in that will be provided by law,” he said. Mr. The Yanukovych administration has agreed stationing of the FSB by violating Ukrainian forging closer ties with the United States Kolesnichenko noted that the document to most of these demands, which are benefi- law (Komersant-Ukraina, May 12). and Europe.” A spokesperson for the Office would be based on a bill drafted by former cial to Russian, not Ukrainian, national secu- The 2000 agreement was annulled by Mr. of the Vice-President told The Ukrainian rity. Nalyvaichenko and the officers withdrew in Weekly no further information was avail- PRU National Deputy Yevhen Kushnariov, One of the Russian demands was for the December 2009 (EDM, July 14, 2009). The able. (Office of the Vice-President) who died in 2007, adding that Mr. return of FSB officers to the BSF based in FSB re-located to Novorosiysk (www.korr- Kushnariov’s bill had been reviewed by Sevastopol. On May 19-20 in Odesa, fol- spondent.net, December 1, Ukrayinska Pope may visit Ukraine in 2012 European experts and undergone a serious lowing President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit Pravda, December 10, 2009). revision. Mr. Kolesnichenko said that the to Ukraine two days earlier, Security Service KYIV – The Holy See has accepted an issue concerned not only the use of the The first group of FSB officers returned invitation for Pope Benedict XVI to visit of Ukraine (SBU) Chairman Valeriy to Ukraine ahead of the signing of the new Russian language. “Why only Russian? Khoroshkovsky and FSB Chairman Ukraine in 2012, it was reported on May 26. Why don’t we talk about Hungarian or documents in Odesa. They were preparing The date for the visit is currently being set, Oleksandr Bortnykov signed documents joint anti-terrorism manoeuvres with the Romanian? Why is everything linked only permitting the return of the FSB officers said Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki at to the Russian language in our country? We SBU (Ukrayinska Pravda, May 12).