INSIDE:• Gambling with Belarus’s sovereignty — page 2. • Detroit/Windsor Graduates honor community activists — page 4. • News in the world of sports — centerfold. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXVII HE KRAINIANNo. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 1999 EEKLY$1.25/$2 in Ukraine CanadianT PM to championU Montreal doctor’s Presidential Welection year brings child abduction case during visit to Ukraine maneuvering on referendum issues by Andrij Kudla Wynnyckyj Bartchouk’s mother, Nila Klioukova, by Roman Woronowycz a referendum to liquidate national Toronto Press Bureau who resides in Kyiv. Kyiv Press Bureau deputies’ immunity from criminal prose- According to Dr. Monczak, Ms. cution, a provision currently in Ukraine’s TORONTO — Dr. Yury Monczak, a KYIV — As politicians manuever for Klioukova was very hostile and on one Constitution. young Montréal-based cancer researcher, advantage in a presidential election year, occasion told Mr. Bastien “that nobody During a political visit to Ternopil on has been caught in a Ukrainian Canadian in recent days calls for a national referen- would ever see [Ivan] and that he would January 10, Mr. Kuchma said the parent’s nightmare — a nightmare of dum on amendments to the Constitution be placed under a bodyguard’s watch so Verkhovna Rada has become a haven for international proportions. However, it have become more strident from across those who now use the law to shelter seems that his country’s government is that nobody could approach him.” Ukraine’s polarized political spectrum. Dr. Monczak said he is exhausting themselves from responsibility for illegal willing to take up his cause — all the Both the left and the center-right have actions and called for lifting parliamen- way to the top. every means to get secure his boy’s very different goals in going to the peo- return, lobbying both the Canadian and tary immunity. Dr. Monczak’s 6-year-old son, Ivan, ple to approve changes to Ukraine’s fun- The Procurator General’s Office has Ukrainian governments. The Montreal- was abducted on June 7, 1998, by his damental law – efforts that to some said it has sufficient evidence to charge based researcher said he spoke to former former wife and the boy’s mother, degree are being spurred by the inability at least two current Ukrainian lawmak- Miroslava Bartchouk. On January 5, the Ambassador to Canada Volodymyr of the Verkhovna Rada to move on much ers, former Prime Minister Pavlo Toronto Sun daily reported that an offi- Furkalo and former Consul General in major legislation due to the 50-50 ideo- Lazarenko and Mykola Agafonov, a cial at Canadian Prime Minister Jean Toronto Serhiy Borovyk (currently an logical split in the body. However, both member of the Peasants’ Party from Chrétien’s office had assured the 38- official at the embassy in Ottawa), and sides are trying to receive approval to Dnipropetrovsk, with financial impropri- year-old doctor that Mr. Chrétien would said he will contact current Ambassador implement plans they believe will make eties, if their protection from prosecution raise the matter in upcoming meetings Volodymyr Khandogiy in the near future. them more favorable in the eyes of the is lifted. The Verkhovna Rada has yet to with his Ukrainian counterpart Valerii The distraught father has placed electorate in October when presidential act on the matter. Pustovoitenko. The Canadian prime min- Ivan’s name on an international registry elections are held. The president also has tossed about the ister is scheduled to make his first visit for missing children, the Missing The Communist Party has put forward idea of extending his constitutional to Kyiv on January 27-28. Children’s Network. He told the Toronto the most dramatic proposal: to liquidate authority to make changes to economic Reached by The Weekly on January Sun he went to pick up his son for a the office of the president and make laws by presidential decree for another 13 at his lab at the Sir Mortimer B. Davis summer vacation but found “Ivanko” had Russian the second state language – two five years, another issue that he indicated major items on the party’s agenda since it Jewish General Hospital, Dr. Monczak vanished and “some of Ivan’s toys, might be brought before the people in a achieved victory in the March 1998 par- said both Justice Minister Anne stuffed animals and crayon drawings national referendum. liamentary elections. McLellan and Foreign Affairs Minister were left behind.” The Ukrainian Constitution, approved Lloyd Axworthy have written formal Meanwhile, President Leonid Kuchma petitions to Ukrainian government offi- (Continued on page 3) has suggested that he may give the nod to (Continued on page 3) cials asking for Ivan’s immediate return, so far without success. According to the report by Mark Dunn of the Sun’s Ottawa Bureau, “both minis- U.S. delegation in Kyiv focuses on certification for foreign aid ters indicated Ukraine has refused to by Roman Woronowycz fiscal year 1998, and include reform teria, the U.S. Congress only wants to respect Canadian laws by not sending the Kyiv Press Bureau and effective enforcement of commer- be sure the money is properly used. Canadian youngster home.” cial and tax codes; and continued “The provision of the Congress is a test Dr. Monczak told The Weekly that KYIV — A high-ranking U.S. dele- progress on resolution of complaints by to determine how effectively that Canada’s officials have been very sym- gation told Ukrainian authorities on United States investors.” money is spent,” said Mr. Taylor. pathetic and helpful. He told The Weekly January 12 that if Ukraine is to receive If Ukraine fails to receive certifica- Mr. Taylor underscored that well- that an official at Canada’s Embassy in the full amount of U.S. foreign aid in tion, it could face losing half of the laid-out plans and statements of inten- Kyiv, Jean Ludger-Bastien, has tried to 1999, the country will have to work $195 million appropriation. tions by Ukrainian authorities will no personally contact the child through Ms. intensely in the next month to show “It is very clear to us that a lot of longer suffice – today the U.S. is look- U.S. authorities it has taken substantial work is being done on economic ing for “actual accomplishments.” steps down the road of economic reform and the resolution of business However, he added that he was reform and moved to resolve disputes disputes,” said William Taylor, assis- impressed with the work currently between Ukrainian and U.S. business tant coordinator of aid for Ukraine. under way. interests. “We will be looking very closely at Another member of the U.S. delega- The group, led by Ambassador-at- how things turn out in the next couple tion, Assistant Treasury Secretary Large for the New Independent States of weeks. A lot still needs to be done,” Edwin Truman, explained that Ukraine Stephen Sestanovich, met in Kyiv with he added. has moved on reforms in a halting Ukrainian officials on January 11-12 to Mr. Taylor, along with his boss, Mr. manner and has been too slow to fol- discuss just what Ukraine must do to Sestanovich, and representatives of the low through on many initiatives, obtain the $195 million in foreign aid Treasury Department and the National including the reduction of its bloated that has been earmarked by the U.S. Security Council, including President government bureaucracies; establish- Congress, which is subject to certifica- Bill Clinton’s chief advisor on Russia ment of a transparent, fair and effective tion by the secretary of state that Kyiv and Ukraine, Carlos Pascual, held dis- privatization process; implementation has met specific criteria as spelled out cussions with Prime Minister Valerii of structural reforms of its economy; in the House of Representatives’ appro- Pustovoitenko, Vice Prime Minister business de-regulation; establishment priations bill. Serhii Tyhypko and a host of other eco- of a fair tax code; and reform of the In accordance with the bilateral eco- nomic and reform leaders during their energy and agricultural sectors. nomic assistance appropriations act, two-day stay in Kyiv. However, Mr. Truman lauded Secretary of State Madeleine K. Citing Ukraine as the largest single Ukraine for pulling through the world Albright is required to certify before recipient of foreign aid among the new financial crisis while suffering fewer the House Appropriations Committee independent states of the former Soviet economic bruises than other countries, by February 18 that Ukraine “has Union, Mr. Taylor explained at a press including its northern neighbor, Russia. undertaken significant economic conference at the close of the delega- reforms additional to those achieved in tion’s visit that, in setting down the cri- (Continued on page 3) Six-year-old Ivan Monczak 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 1999 No. 3 NEWS ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Rada may discuss abolishing presidency said some 11,000 farms, or 90 percent of Gambling with Belarus’s sovereignty their total number, finished 1998 with by Jan Maksymiuk be in a tight corner as his presidency KYIV – Verkhovna Rada Vice- losses, while agricultural output fell by 2 RFE/RL Newsline nears the completion of its fifth year in Chairman Adam Martyniuk told journalists percent last year, compared with 1997. July 1999. Belarusian independent media on January 11 that this week the Parliament (RFE/RL Newsline) By signing a declaration on the cre- have long argued that the true driving may consider abolishing the post of the ation of a “union state” and two related force behind President Lukashenka’s Ukrainian president, Ukrainian News Luhansk businessman shot agreements on December 25, 1998, integration efforts is his ambition to suc- reported.