INSIDE: l War, recession and real estate in Ukraine – page 5 l UCCA meets with Yatsenyuk, Tymoshenko – page 9 l Composer Roman Hurko’s new liturgy – page 11 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXIII No. 25 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2015 $2.00 Poroshenko and UWC leaders Verkhovna Rada dismisses discuss advocating Ukraine’s interests Nalyvaichenko from SBU by Zenon Zawada KYIV – Ukraine’s Parliament voted on June 18 to approve President Petro Poroshenko’s request to dismiss Valentyn Nalyvaichenko as head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the country’s leading national security body. While the president argued that Mr. Nalyvaichenko had failed to fulfill his responsibilities, Mr. Poroshenko’s critics argued that the dismissal was revenge for Mr. Nalyvaichenko’s unapproved attempts to eliminate the president’s allies – alleged to be corrupt – from both the SBU and the Procurator General’s Office. The conflict over Mr. Nalyvaichenko was Presidential Administration of Ukraine the biggest since the coalition government President Petro Poroshenko, with members of his administration, and leaders of the emerged in November 2014 and threatens Ukrainian World Congress and Ukrainian Canadian Congress during their meeting in Kyiv. its future stability. The president will likely Szczurekk appoint someone loyal to him to replace Presidential Administration of Ukraine moting objective information on events in Valentyn Nalyvaichenko Ukraine. “Telling the truth to people all over Mr. Nalyvaichenko in order to strengthen KYIV – Ukraine’s President Petro the world is an extremely important mis- his hierarchy of power, observers said. “Poroshenko knew Nalyvaichenko but Poroshenko met with Ukrainian World sion not only for the Ukrainian president, “The new SBU head will be very loyal to he had no issues and he suited him well at Congress (UWC) leaders – President Eugene Foreign Affairs Ministry, government and Poroshenko. He didn’t force Nalyvaichenko’s the time,” said Petro Oleshchuk, a political Czolij and Secretary General Stefan Romaniw civil organizations, but also for the diaspo- dismissal so that just anyone would take science lecturer at Shevchenko National – and Ukrainian Canadian Congress ra, the opinion of which plays a significant his place, or at any rate someone who University in Kyiv. “Nalyvaichenko was with President Pavlo Grod in Kyiv on June 10. role,” he emphasized. wouldn’t call himself one of the president’s [Vitali] Klitschko and they were all part of Mr. Poroshenko noted that the UWC is a The president once again noted the men,” said Yevhen Magda, the director of one team. It’s also possible that keeping powerful force in the protection of Ukraine’s importance of powerful armed forces, and the Center for Societal Relations in Kyiv. Nalyvaichenko was one of the demands interests in the world. “It is a pleasure that we the unity and solidarity of the Ukrainian Mr. Nalyvaichenko took over as SBU head placed by [Dmytro] Firtash on Poroshenko.” coordinate our efforts in various spheres so nation inside the country and all over the on February 24, 2014, as part of the interim It’s now well-known that Mr. Firtash, efficiently,” the president said, adding that this world, as well as global partners’ strong government that came to power after the among Ukraine’s biggest oligarchs, met with relates in particular to the issues of volunteer position of support for Ukraine. “We must flight of former President Viktor Yanukovych. Mr. Poroshenko and Mr. Klitschko, the chair assistance to the military and provision of work on it every day,” Mr. Poroshenko He was not replaced by President of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for technical equipment to Ukrainian troops. added. Poroshenko when he was elected in June of Reform (UDAR), in Vienna in late March Mr. Poroshenko noted the necessity of last year, though selecting the SBU head is countering Russian propaganda and pro- (Continued on page 8) within the president’s authority. (Continued on page 8) Australia-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce to open in Kyiv AFUO $150 million trade relationship for the ben- as manganese, gas and uranium), hospitali- efit of both countries. It will support the ty, fashion, outsourcing of services and KYIV – The Australia-Ukraine Chamber new Australian Embassy in its trade work manufacturing, agriculture, as well as gov- of Commerce will be fully operational by in any way that it can.” ernance systems. the end of 2015 to pursue business oppor- “We believe there is every reason to be “The current period shows just how tunities between Australia and Ukraine, it confident about Australia-Ukraine business resilient and innovative Ukrainian business was announced in Kyiv on June 11. ties because Ukraine features high educa- is, and smart investors currently have According to the Australian Federation tion and skill levels, good English levels, abundant, low-barrier opportunities for of Ukrainian Organizations (AFUO), which extremely competitive cost and labor struc- future realization,” Dr. Matiaszek noted. initiated the project, Dr. Petro Matiaszek, a tures, a strong resource base, and strong Mr. Romaniw, Dr. Matiaszek and Sydney- lawyer who has a 20-year background in international support for a peaceful future,” based, Ukraine-born research analyst Ukraine’s corporate and public affairs Mr. Romaniw added. Kateryna Kharovska were to be in Kyiv to spheres, will act as the Kyiv-based presi- Dr Matiaszek commented: “A reformist brief Australian and Ukrainian government dent of the Australia-Ukraine Chamber of administration in Ukraine understands the officials and business contacts on the new Commerce, and Pete Shmigel will be its need for business engagement, transparen- development. An inaugural business round- Sydney-based interim chair. cy and policy certainty, and the doors are table was to be held in Kyiv – with AFUO President Stefan Romaniw, speak- now open to a wide range of trade and Ambassador Doug Trappett as special guest ing in Kyiv on June 11, said: “The Australia- investment opportunities between Australia – to discuss opportunities for business. Ukraine Chamber of Commerce is a vital and Ukraine.” A key milestone for the newly initiated step for Australia-Ukraine ties. It will He said that “market feedback suggests Australia-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce will become a key facilitator for Australian busi- many potential areas of mutual benefit,” Petro Matiaszek, newly named president be organizing a business delegation exchange nesses seeking opportunities in Ukraine including international education, aviation, of the Australia-Ukraine Chamber of later this year and advocating visa reform and vice versa. It will help grow the current aerospace, mining services, resources (such Commerce. for travel between Australia and Ukraine. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2015 No. 25 ANALYSIS Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk digs in EU to extend sanctions on Russia Separatists man checkpoints with children BRUSSELS – Meeting in Brussels, KYIV – A spokesman for the Special to complex decommunization process European Union ambassadors have agreed Monitoring Mission to Ukraine of the to extend economic sanctions on Russia by Organization for Security and Cooperation historical figures involved. Commission by Yulia Ratsybarska another six months to the end of January in Europe (OSCE) has said that pro-Russian member Serhiy Svitlenko, head of the RFE/RL 2016, and prolong an investment ban on separatists in the east of the country use History Department of Dnipropetrovsk Crimea for another year. EU foreign minis- children to man some checkpoints, and DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine – As National University, resisted suggestions by some of them carry weapons. Michael Ukraine pushes forward with the contro- ters are expected to approve the six-month other members that the body’s work be Bociurkiw told a news conference in Kyiv versial process of decommunization, the extension of the economic sanctions hitting divided up in order to make the tight dead- on June 11 that it was the second time east-central city of Dnipropetrovsk has its Russia’s energy, financial, and military sec- line. recently that OSCE monitors saw children, work cut out. tor at a meeting in Luxembourg on June 22. “We must approach the renaming as a this time during a visit to the village of The huge Petrovsky Metallurgical Plant The Crimea measures, prohibiting EU com- whole – the renaming of cities, streets, Shyrokyne. “During that most recent visit – to take one example – is named after panies from investing and importing from squares and other places is one whole,” he our monitors did spot what appear to be Bolshevik revolutionary Grigory Petrovsky, the peninsula, can be given the green light said during the commission meeting. “It underage children as well at the check- who oversaw the state security agency in already on June 19. The sanctions were must be settled systematically.” He added points, and if my memory serves me cor- the early years of the revolution, advocated imposed for one year in July 2014 in that it is important to have a single, agreed- rectly, this is the second time in recent a state policy of terror and suppressed response to Russia’s annexation of upon conception of decommunization in times that we’ve seen children and some of Ukrainian nationalism. The plant is in the Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in March and order to avoid “half-baked decisions.” them with arms,” Mr. Bociurkiw said. He city’s Leninsky Raion. And the city itself is its alleged support for pro-Russian separat- Local commissions such as the one in added that, despite assertions to the con- named in honor of – you guessed it – ists in Ukraine. In March, EU heads of gov- Dnipropetrovsk must also wrestle with the trary, neither the Ukrainian forces nor the Grigory Petrovsky. ernment decided that the duration of the question of how to take public opinion into separatists completed the withdrawal of Prospekt Gazety Pravda, Vulytsia restrictive measures against Russia would consideration.