1NS1DE: ^ Profile of Ukraine's new prime minister - page 3. - Proposals for new Ukrainian orthography are presented - page 4. - impressions of teaching English in Ukraine - centerfold. THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association inc., a fraternal non-profit association vol. LXVIII No. 7 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY ІЗ, 20OO $^ .257S2 in Ukraine 2000 Census: Politically divided verkhovna Rada meets in full session ifs important to be counted by Dr. Oleh Wolowyna Special to The Ukrainian Weekly CHAPEL H1LL, N.C. - On April 1, the U.S. Bureau of the Census will conduct the year 2000 Census of Housing and Population. This decen- nial event has special importance for Ukrainians for the following reasons: - The census provides the only reli- able source for estimating the total number of self-declared persons of Ukrainian ancestry residing in the United States, and the number of per- sons speaking Ukrainian at home. 9 The same questions aibout ances- try and language will be asked in 2000, as were asked in trie 1980 and 1990 censuses, providing the opportu- nity to analyze trends for the last 20 years in marriage and linguistic assim- ilation, geographical dispersion, socio-economic status, etc. ф The new data will provide an Members of Ukraine's radical Progressive Socialist Party with white bands around their heads shout slogans during their update about the situation of hunger strike in the Parliament chamber on February 8. The Progressive Socialists began their strike on February 2 and Ukrainians in the United States: num- said they would stay in the Parliament building to prevent its seizure by the majority alliance. The banner reads: "We are ber and geographical distribution, protecting Ukraine from the stooges of the 1MF " assimilation process, socio-economic and housing characteristics, etc. by Roman Woronowycz viktor Medvedchuk and Second vice- leave the session floor - the 260 legislators - The 2000 census will offer a Kyiv Press Bureau Chairman Stepan Havrysh, the majority officially present managed to agree on the unique opportunity for estimating the gave them a standing ovation while the left- general structure of their spring agenda and KYiv - Ukraine's embattled and politi- numbers and characteristics of new ist opposition whistled and began to chant to pass several procedural rules before cally divided Parliament held its first full immigrants from Ukraine to the adjourning before lunch and moving to session in three weeks on February 8, but "Shame!" and "Criminals!" United States in the last decade. committee work. only after a group of national deputies from Mr. Pliusch presided over a raucous in addition, the information is basi- By the end of the short session, nerves the majority coalition battled members of meeting of the national deputies, but man- cally free - actually it is paid for by had steadied, tempers had calmed and a the leftist minority for physical control of aged to keep an element of control even as U.S. taxes. glimmer of hope appeared that the two the chairman's rostrum. the leftist factions disrupted the session with it is important to point out the opposing sides might even be able to coop- The confrontation, which took place a constant barrage of chanting, whistling nature of census data, so that they are erate. three hours before the 10 a.m. start of the and noise-making. interpreted correctly: As Communist faction leader Petro verkhovna Rada's first full plenary session Over the din created by the leftist fac- The definition of "Ukrainian" is since the majority coalition ousted tions - who refused to register, but did not (Continued on page 9) based on the answer provided by each Chairman Oleksander Tkachenko on person to the following question: January 21, resulted in some hurt egos and "What is the person's ancestry or eth- produced more acrimonious words, but no nic origin"? (We are fortunate that physical injuries. U.S. grant to support thermal power plant in Ukraine "Ukrainian" is listed under this ques- it was the first appearance by the new tion among the examples of possible by Roman Woronowycz contribute substantially to replacing energy chairman, ivan Pliusch, a member of the answers). Persons of mixed ancestry Kyiv Press Bureau lost due to Chornobyl's shutdown. centrist National Democratic Party faction, can declare two different ancestries President Kuchma, who met with Mr. in the main chair of the parliamentary ros- KYiv - U.S. Energy Secretary Bill (Ukrainian-Polish, irish -Ukrainian, Richardson on February 5, said Ukraine has trum since he was chosen by a coalition of Richardson announced in Kyiv on February etc.). Thus, it is up to each respondent already budgeted the equivalent of S7.5 mil- 11 of the Parliament's 15 factions. 6 that Washington will grant Ukraine S22.5 to state if he7she (and the other mem- lion for such a thermal energy plant, and Mr. Pliusch was elected by a unanimous million for the development of a thermal bers of the household) are of stated that if the plans now being laid are vote of 255 lawmakers of the majority on power plant that will help replace the ener- Ukrainian ancestry or not. realized, the Chornobyl plant could go off February 1, after they had abandoned the gy provided by the Chornobyl nuclear facil- The same applies to the language line for good by the end of the year. He said regular session hall for an outside venue in ity, and will provide substantial financial questions: "Does this person speak a that a specific date would be set later. Mr. protest to what they alleged were serious assistance to assure the closure of the facili- language other than English at Richardson said the United States will now and substantial breaches of parliamentary ty by the end of the year. home?" if the answer is Yes, the work closely with Ukraine to meet its new rules of procedure by Mr. Tkachenko, a Although President Leonid Kuchma had respondent is then asked: "What is obligation. member of the leftist Peasant Party faction. promised in 1995 to shut the ill-fated this language?" Here again only those "(The S7.5 million,! combined with the Chornobyl plant by the beginning of this persons who write in "Ukrainian" are National Deputy Oleksander Yemets, a S22.5 million contribution from the United year, he has withheld action while demand- counted as speaking Ukrainian. leader in the effort that produced the major- States, will help ensure the safe shutdown ity coalition, called the events of the day ing that the Group of Seven industrialized Both the ancestry and language of Unit 3, and the permanent closure and "the first stage in the de-communization of states follow through on their pledge to questions are in the so called "long" decommissioning of reactors and the com- Ukraine." fund alternative energy sources, which the pletion of the shelter over destroyed Unit (Continued on page 8) As Chairman Pliusch entered the hall beleaguered Ukrainian economy can't with his newly elected First vice-Chairman afford. The new heat replacement plant will (Continued on page 9) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY ІЗ, гооо No. 7 ANALYSIS Another forced deportation? Rada leftists to continue protests meeting but were prevented from doing so by Paul Goble Duma Chairman Gennadii Seleznev. by guards. (RFE7RL Newsline) KYiv - Communist Party leader Petro According to this report, which several RFE1RL Newsline Symonenko told journalists on February 8 ... while leftists continue to meet Western analysts consider authentic, the that the leftist majority is planning "various PRAGUE - As Russian forces continue Russian Security Council on that date KYiv - Oleksander Tkachenko on their attacks on Grozny, Moscow appears protests to put the verkhovna Rada's activi- addressed two issues: strengthening February 3 opened a session of the leftist to have decided, as part of its broader cam- ty back on to a legitimate path," but he Moscow's influence over the member minority, at which an appeal to the interna- paign, to render a portion of Chechnya gave no details. He called the tumult in the states of the Commonwealth of tional community was adopted, interfax uninhabitable and to forcibly move people session hall a "natural form of protest" independent States and suppressing the reported. The leftist lawmakers said all the living there to other locations. against the majority's refusal to seek a Chechens. decisions taken so far by the parliamentary At the end of last month, several compromise. According to Progressive While the decisions concerning the C1S majority are illegal, therefore Ukraine "will Western journalists reported from Moscow Socialist Party leader Natalia vitrenko, are very much a continuation of Moscow's not bear any responsibility" for any legisla- that the Russian government had decided only early legislative elections can help tive acts passed by its split verkhovna to destroy the villages of highland recent policies, the Russian Security overcome the parliamentary crisis in Rada. (RFE7RL Newsline) Chechnya in order to deny Chechen fight- Council's conclusions about how to deal Ukraine. Ms. vitrenko said she will work with Chechnya represent a major departure ers any sanctuary and thus to accelerate the only with former Chairman Oleksander Havrysh: no reason to disband Rada end of the conflict. from what Russian officials thus far have Tkachenko and will "continue the fight for But, because such actions recall some of said in public. the restoration of constitutional order in the KYiv - Stepan Havrysh, who was the worst features of the Stalinist era, many According to this report, Russian forces country." Speaking to a crowd of leftist elected second vice-chairman of the Western analysts treated these reports with have virtually completed the second stage backers outside the Parliament building, verkhovna Rada by the parliamentary extreme skepticism.