www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Canadian Friends of Ukraine host Yulia Tymoshenko — page 3. • Tradition and modernity, and architect Radoslav Zuk — page 9. • HURI and CIUS focus attention on the Famine-Genocide — centerfold. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXI HE No.KRAINIAN 52 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2003 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine Ukraine’sT new ambassadorU to the United States Rada passes constitutionalW amendment bill meets with Ukrainian community in New York Opposition vows to “defend the Constitution” Kyiv Press Bureau said on the afternoon of December 24 by Roma Hadzewycz that voting was legitimate and that 276 NEW YORK – Ukraine’s new ambas- KYIV – On Wednesday, December 24, deputies had voted for the measure, sador to the United States, Mykhailo as The Weekly was going to press, the exceeding the simple majority of 226 Reznik, 53, paid a visit to New York Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed in its required to adopt a bill in its first reading. City, where he met with Ukrainian first reading one of three bills on amending Ukrainian News said Mr. Mishura American community leaders and the Constitution of Ukraine. A total of 276 claimed that 11 of the 19 members of the activists during a reception at the deputies voted in favor of a bill co-authored vote tabulation body had agreed to the Ukrainian Institute of America on a busy by Communist leader Petro Symonenko results of the count. However, deputies pre-Christmas Sunday afternoon, and Viktor Medvedchuk, presidential chief from Our Ukraine and others disputed December 21. of staff, which would make 2004 the last the validity of the results, and promised An economist by training and a diplo- year that popular and direct presidential to challenge them. mat who had served as Ukraine’s envoy elections are held in Ukraine, instead giv- Interfax-Ukraine reported that to China and Mongolia since 2001, and ing this prerogative to the Parliament. National Deputy Oleksander prior to that as ambassador to South Earlier the Constitutional Court had Zadorozhnyi, the president’s representa- Korea, he was named Ukraine’s ambas- cleared this bill, as well as two other tive in the Verkhovna Rada, had claimed sador to the United States on November measures, not yet voted on, for debate that those of his colleagues who voted in 10. and preliminary adoption. Voting came favor of the constitutional amendment Speaking before a full house at the after a day and a half of battles in the leg- bill were prepared to confirm their hand Ukrainian Institute of America, Mr. islature which saw the Our Ukraine fac- vote in writing. Reznik painted a picture of Ukraine as an tion of former Prime Minister Viktor Korrespondent.net also cited Mr. integral part of Europe, and a strong eco- Yushchenko and its allies from the Yulia Zadorozhnyi as stating that 49 (of 59) nomic partner. “Ukraine is and will be an Tymoshenko Bloc and Oleksander members of the Communist faction sup- active participant of all economic proj- Moroz’s Socialists, physically disrupt ported the bill. The Communists had ear- ects in the world,” he stated confidently. proceedings to prevent preliminary voting lier promised to support doing away with He also stated that Ukraine has plenty on the constitutional amendment bills. direct presidential elections beginning in to offer to the United States, which The controversy began on Tuesday, 2006 on the condition that the Verkhovna granted it the status of a strategic partner Ambassador Mykhailo Reznik December 23, when the Verkhovna Rada Rada adopt and the president sign a law in 1996. He explained that Ukraine also was to have debated and voted on all on full proportional election of members has a lot to do in this sphere, especially about our future relations.” three bills. Wire services reported that of the Parliament. Under the current sys- as relations with the United States in The envoy added that President Bush opposition deputies objected to the limit- tem, only half of the 450 legislators are recent years have undergone a change, said “our relations are at a turning ed amount of time set aside for debate, elected through party list proportional and not for the better. point.” He agreed with that characteriza- especially because a second bill, not yet voting, and the rest are elected in single- Ambassador Reznik said he had tion of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship and voted on, would have done away with the mandate constituencies. 2004 popular presidential election – a already met with President George W. commented that Ukraine must do every- move that would have deepened divi- Zinchenko abandons majority Bush and other administration officials thing possible to ensure that we are heard sions within the Ukrainian political elite and that he sensed “a signal that they and to restore trust. On December 24, following the vote, were awaiting us.” President Bush, he and one that would fly in the face of pub- Rada Vice-Chairman and former member noted, offered “positive expressions (Continued on page 13) lic opinion polling suggesting that of the Social Democratic Party-United between 80 and 90 percent of Ukrainians Oleksander Zinchenko cancelled his want to elect their president directly and membership in the parliamentary majori- reject delegating this authority to the par- ty. It’s time for Canada’s new prime minister liament. Obozrevatel reported that Mr. A third bill, whose authors included Zinchenko made the move in protest to “right historic wrongs,” says MP Mark Mr. Moroz, would have limited presiden- against the latest conflict in the tial powers while increasing the power of Verkhovna Rada. For several months, OTTAWA – Inky Mark, Conservative announced a government proclamation the Parliament, but would have main- after being ejected from the SDPU head- member of Parliament for the riding of that recognized the injustices done to tained direct presidential elections, was ed by Mr. Medvedchuk observers report- Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette in Acadians 250 years ago. She also suggest- not voted on either. ed that Mr. Zinchenko was planning a Manitoba, has called on Canda’s new ed that this proclamation should become a Korrespondent.net reported that the move away from the pro-presidential backers of the bill passed in its first read- Prime Minister Paul Martin to “stand up template for the Martin government to majority. ing on December 24 voted by a show of and acknowledge the past wrongs done acknowledge other historic wrongs carried “Instead of consensus, the methods of hands because other deputies had by the Canadian government to out against ethnic groups including Medvedchuk have been confirmed,” allegedly disrupted the operation of the Obozrevatel quoted Mr. Zinchenko as Ukrainian and Chinese Canadians.” Ukrainian and Chinese Canadians. electronic voting system, and because the “Ukrainian Canadians and other “It is ironic that the former heritage saying. He went on to state that every- Communists, who had promised to sup- thing possible was indeed being done at Canadians of Eastern European descent minister would give such advice to the port the bill, would do so only on the were imprisoned in internment camps prime minister. She had ample opportuni- this time to wreck parliamentarianism in condition that voting take place in the Ukraine. during the first world war for no other ty to conclude an agreement with the Rada chamber. In January 2000, a differ- reason than their heritage. Similarly, Ukrainian and Chinese communities,” ent majority had moved proceedings Opposition to challenge the vote Chinese Canadians were separated from Mr. Mark stated. from a deadlocked Verkhovna Rada The leaders of the opposition declared their families and subjected to the Head “It is time that the Liberal government building to the neighboring Ukrainian Tax and Exclusion Act of 1923,” Mr. and its new leader deal with these issues. on December 24 that they planned to Home and elected a new parliamentary challenge the legality of the day’ Mark explained. Two million Canadians have waited too s vote leadership, before returning within days before the Parliamentary Assembly of the “Although these past injustices cannot many years for the recognition that they to the chamber. Council of Europe (PACE) and that be erased, a better Canada can be created deserve. I lobbied the previous prime body’s Venetian Commission, a high- by recognizing these dark moments in minister on this issue, and I will continue Committee says vote legitimate level experts’ group that reviews constitu- our history,” he underscored. to lobby the new prime minister until he The parliamentary committee headed tional legislation of PACE member-states. Earlier this month the outgoing stands up and agrees to right these his- by Communist Valerii Mishura that was Heritage Minister Sheila Copps toric wrongs,” Mr. Mark said. charged with counting the show of hands (Continued on page 13) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2003 No. 52 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Why is the opposition weak in Ukraine? Ukraine, Romania sign visa agreement Procurator-General Sviatoslav Piskun that by Taras Kuzio site on April 25 found that, although 33.2 KYIV – Ukraine’s Vice Foreign the Gongadze case would soon be solved was unfounded. Mr. Piskun said in RFE/RL Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report percent supported the opposition and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ivan Kuleba only 15.9 percent the authorities, a strik- and Romanian Ambassador to Ukraine September that prosecutors had concluded The “velvet revolution” last month in ing 31.4 percent supported neither side. Alexandru Cornea signed an agreement an investigation into the Gongadze slay- Georgia that led to the resignation of This reflects a high degree of atomiza- on December 18 on a new visa regime ing and placed three suspects on a search President Eduard Shevardnadze should tion of the population.