www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: l Tymoshenko’s tweets now part of case records – page 3 l Soyuzivka visitors comment on 2011 festival – page 5 l Photo follow-up: Ukrainian Cultural Festival – centerfold THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXIX No. 31 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011 $1/$2 in Ukraine Yurii Lutsenko is indicted Oral history project website Case seen as politically motivated focuses on independent Ukraine by Mark Raczkiewycz magazine and the Kyiv Post. “This cam- paign serves two purposes: first, to demon- Special to The Ukrainian Weekly strate that cooperation with [former Prime] KYIV – Law enforcement officials took Minister Yulia Tymoshenko virtually equals former Internal Affairs Minister Yurii arrest and, therefore, they want to ‘scorch Lutsenko into custody on a cold winter eve- the earth’ around the main opponents of the ning on December 26, 2010, as he was regime; second, to intimidate society and walking his dog in Kyiv. The next day he establish a climate of fear.” was arrested and has been incarcerated ever A strongly worded June 9 European since. Parliamentary resolution on Mr. Lutsenko’s Authorities claimed Mr. Lutsenko wasn’t and Ms. Tymoshenko’s cases called on cooperating on a pending case against him authorities not to use criminal prosecution of for allegedly abusing his office as Ukraine’s opposition leaders for political ends and to top cop in 2005-2009. ensure their free participation in political life. The former leader of the Ukraine Without Ukraine will hold parliamentary elections Kuchma movement in 2000 and a key next year, and the next presidential election Orange Revolution figure is facing up to 10 is slated for 2015. years in jail for each charge of: misspending “The European Parliament is concerned Instrumental in the design and interview process at the beginning of the oral history taxpayer money to celebrate Police Day, about the increase in selective prosecution project were (from left) John Hewko, Prof. Marta Dyczok, journalist Mykola sanctioning unlawful surveillance in ex- of figures from the political opposition in Veresen and Margarita Hewko. President Viktor Yushchenko’s poisoning Ukraine, as well as the disproportionality of case and awarding his former driver a favor- measures applied, particularly in the cases by Marta Kolomayets the collapse of the Soviet Union. able pension. Investigators allege the charis- of… Mr. Lutsenko, former interior [internal Special to The Ukrainian Weekly “The Oral History Project of Independent matic Mr. Lutsenko cost the state 700,000 affairs] minister,” reads the Ukraine, 1988-1991” is the brainchild of hrv in damages. EuroParliament’s resolution. KYIV – As Ukraine approaches the 20th Margarita Hewko and Sara Sievers, who The formal indictment was read on July 28 On July 28, prosecutors finished reading anniversary of its independence next lived in Ukraine and worked, respectively, before a panel of three judges presiding over the 340-page indictment against Mr. month, many people who have tracked its as a journalist and diplomat in the early the case in Kyiv’s Pechersk District Court. Lutsenko on all three charges before a panel arduous birth as a nation-state, will wel- 1990s and who wanted to preserve the mem- Mr. Lutsenko denies the allegations and of three judges presiding over the case in come a newly launched website www.oral- ory of the direct participants in the events says they are politically motivated. He even Kyiv’s Pechersk District Court. history.org.ua, that hosts 72 interviews with that led up to Ukrainian independence. went on a hunger strike for one month start- Jury trials are rarely used in Ukraine political leaders, dissidents, diplomats, “As time passes, memories fade and ing on April 22 to protest his detention. although they are provided for in the journalists, religious figures, businessmen, people pass away. Therefore, we felt it was “My arrest is part of the campaign to Constitution. scholars and military leaders from six important to carry out the project in 1995- intimidate the opposition,” said Mr. countries who witnessed the changes that Lutsenko in a recent interview with Glavred (Continued on page 20) came with glasnost and eventually led to (Continued on page 15) Edmonton’s Cheremosh wins top prize at folklore championship in Bulgaria by Zorya Bociurkiw NESSEBAR, Bulgaria – Edmonton’s internationally acclaimed Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company traveled to Nessebar, Bulgaria, to participate in the European Championship of Folklore, winning the competition’s gold medal, the “Golden Orpheus,” and a diploma as Absolute European Champion of Folklore for 2011. The troupe is the first group from North America to ever win the competi- tion. The festival ran from July 8 to 18 and was broadcast on 50 cable outlets in Bulgaria and live via the Internet to the rest of the world. In addition to the live Internet broad- casts, Cheremosh dancers added their own social media perspective to the event by blogging from the festival. Dance enthusiasts are invited to check out the blog at: http://www.cheremosh.ca/news. Dancers detailed their travels as they experienced a new country and shared Cheremosh The Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company in Nessebar, Bulgaria, site of the European Championship of Folklore. (Continued on page 3) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011 No. 31 ANALYSIS Time for Kyiv to choose Ukraine affected if U.S. defaults the absence of Cabinet of Ministers’ directives during the conclusion of gas between East and West KYIV – The pegging of the hryvnia to supply contracts with Russia. At the same the U.S. dollar and the large share of pay- time, she said that it was unclear which by Pavel Korduban and other producers, if the political associ- ments in dollars in Ukraine’s foreign normative act should be used to issue trade may have grave consequences for Eurasia Daily Monitor ation and free trade talks with the EU – such directives. Ms. Tymoshenko also which Kyiv hopes to complete this year – Ukraine if U.S. politicians fail to reach an demanded that she be given explanations Although Ukraine has mended fences prove to be successful. Ukraine and the agreement on raising the country’s debt regarding the losses caused to Naftohaz with Russia and made progress in the polit- EU have solved almost all the difficult ceiling, as the United States will have to Ukrainy due to the transportation of gas. ical association and free trade talks with the economic issues, so the free trade talks default on its obligations, Ukraine’s Vice Ms. Tymoshenko is accused of abuse of European Union since Viktor should be completed this year, Ukrainian Prime Minister and Social Policy office during the signing of gas contracts Yanukovych’s election as president in First Vice Prime Minister Andriy Kliuyev Minister Sergey Tigipko said. “If the with Russia in 2009, and it is alleged that February 2010, additional movement in told visiting Polish Foreign Minister Republicans and Democrats fail to agree, she caused over 1.5 billion hrv in losses both directions simultaneously is hardly Radoslaw Sikorski, last month (UNIAN, it will affect Ukraine: Half of the foreign to the state. Hearings in the case contin- possible. June 23). However, there are signs that currency reserves of the NBU in the ued during the week of July 25. The multivector policy, which was cho- Ukraine’s failure to adopt EU democratic country are in dollars, half of [Ukraine’s] (Ukrinform) sen by President Leonid Kuchma (1994- standards will slow the whole process – if foreign trade is in dollars,” he told report- 2004) and resumed by President not derail it. ers in Kyiv on July 27. “If a compromise MPs want ombudsperson at trial Yanukovych, has exhausted its potential. is not found, Ukraine will feel it the next The EU, along with the U.S., is con- KYIV – According to July 20 news The time has come for Mr. Yanukovych to day already: we have the hryvnia virtual- cerned about a lack of democratic prog- reports, members of Parliament from the choose between Russia and the EU. While ly pegged to the dollar, we may find our- ress in Ukraine, in particular the ongoing Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc-Batkivschyna more progress in the Russian direction is selves in a very hard situation,” said Mr. trials of former Prime Minister Yulia faction sent a letter to Ombudsperson apparently impossible without accepting Tigipko, who once headed the National Tymoshenko and former Internal Affairs Nina Karpachova, asking her to partici- Russia’s economic domination in the form Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and led the larg- Minister Yurii Lutsenko. There are also pate in the trial of former Prime Minister of the Customs Union, integration with the est commercial bank of Ukraine. “But I suspicions in the West that the changes to and Batkivschyna Party leader Yulia EU requires adopting Western democratic believe that a compromise will be electoral legislation, which have been Tymoshenko. The national deputies asked standards. reached,” he said. The U.S. Congress has drafted by the government, are aimed at Ms. Karpachova “to take comprehensive This is a tough choice for Mr. to raise the limit on U.S. borrowing by diminishing the role of the opposition in measures regarding the defense and Yanukovych, who tends to favor the free society. August 2 otherwise the federal govern- market, but is in essence a post-Soviet ment will run out of money to pay its resumption of Tymoshenko’s rights for defense, free movement, as well as to authoritarian leader. debts. (Interfax-Ukraine) Formally, Ukraine has made its choice. Yanukovych, who prevent the violation of applicable law in Although Mr. Yanukovych abandoned his Tymoshenko: ‘I plead not guilty’ the future.” The ombudsperson who, predecessors’ NATO membership plans, tends to favor the according to the criminal procedure law, KYIV – Former Ukrainian Prime has the right to enter into any case in Ukraine closely cooperates with NATO and Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said she does the European choice is embedded in free market, but is order to control the observance of human not see any crime in her actions during rights and freedoms during the trial, was Ukrainian legislation.