INSIDE: l Spain’s request for Demjanjuk extradition is rejected – page 3 l UNIS director speaks on community’s agenda in D.C. – page 4 l UCCA welcomes New Ukrainian Wave organization – page 9 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXIX No. 26 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 $1/$2 in Ukraine U.S. law firm says charges Yanukovych administration continues against Tymoshenko are bogus campaign against perceived enemies by Yaro Bihun denied access to any substantiating evi- by Volodymyr Musyak Special to The Ukrainian Weekly dence, stressed in its report that, “Unless Special to The Ukrainian Weekly this supporting evidence is provided, the WASHINGTON – Two of the major Kyoto and Opel Combo sections of the KYIV – The administration of corruption charges filed by the October 14, 2010, report are not worth President Viktor Yanukovych has not Procurator General’s Office of Ukraine the paper they are printed on.” relented in its campaign against enemies against former prime minister Yulia The report added: “At present, the alle- and critics, ignoring international criti- Tymoshenko “are not worth the paper gations against the former prime minister cism. Law enforcement authorities con- they are printed on,” according to a lead- appear to be political in nature because tinue to imprison and prosecute political ing American law firm hired by her and there does [sic] not appear to be facts to rivals, journalists, rights activists and out- the Yulia Tymoshenko Block- substantiate the charges.” spoken opponents. Batkivshchyna party to look into the Having checked the bank account of Among the most outrageous cases, government”s allegations. the National Environmental Investment drawing mounting public outcry, is that Covington & Burling LLP released an Agency, Ms. Tymoshenko’s lawyers noted of 20-year-old Hanna Sinkova, who was interim report on its findings on June 18 that the 320 million euros received into arrested after staging a simple protests during a news conference here at the the Kyoto Special Purpose Account that involved frying eggs at a state monu- National Press Club. Its legal team, head- remained unused until after she left office. ment. ed by Bruce Baird, a partner who special- Furthermore, they noted that “a June 2010 Opposition leaders accused the izes in anti-corruption investigations, pre- government-commissioned report by a Yanukovych administration of engaging sented its findings, which noted that nei- large Ukrainian accounting firm also did in Stalinist policies, enacting harsh pun- ther the Ukrainian government nor the not find any concerns with how the Kyoto ishments for legal protest or misdemean- American law firms it employed – Trout revenues had been handled.” or crimes, while top officials are alleged- Cacheris and Akin Gump – could provide As for the accusation that the ly involved in financial crimes that are Covington & Burling with any evidence Tymoshenko government overpaid for costing the nation’s economy hundreds of Olena Bilozerska to substantiate two major corruption the 1,000 Opel Combos, the Covington & millions, if not billions of dollars. Hanna Sinkova has been imprisoned charges against Ms. Tymoshenko. One Burling report said that their finding indi- “A situation is forming in Ukraine since March 29. She is awaiting trial charge deals with the misuse of funds cated that the price paid for the vehicles when the nation’s patriots are being per- for frying eggs on the eternal flame of a Ukraine received for carbon emission was “at or below market price.” secuted, but the true criminals continue to monument as a political protest. credits under the Kyoto Protocol; the It also noted that a little over a week abuse their positions of authority,” said a other in buying 1,000 Opel Combo vehi- earlier, on June 9, the European May 30 statement issued by the Ivano- which any Ukrainian found stealing that cles and other medical equipment. Parliament expressed its own concern Frankivsk Oblast Organization of the Our amount or more from the forcibly collec- The Ukrainian prosecutors and their about the “increase in selective prosecu- Ukraine party. “People end up behind tivized food reserves was to be sentenced law firms presented their report on these tion of figures from the political opposi- bars ‘for five ears of wheat,’ at the same to no less than five years in prison. More two charges on October 14, 2010, in tion in Ukraine, ... particularly in the case time when millions are stolen openly than 150,000 Ukrainians were prosecuted Ukraine. of Ms. Tymoshenko,” and warned before our eyes.” based on this law.) Ms. Tymoshenko’s law firm, having “against any use of criminal law as a tool (Stalin signed a “five ears of wheat” analyzed this report and having been to achieve political ends.” law during the Holodomor genocide (Continued on page 18) Ukrainian National Women’s League of America meets at triennial convention by Tamara Stadnychenko facility while coping with the lack of ster- ile instruments, obsolescent equipment WHIPPANY, N.J. – The XXIX and other circumstances not conducive to Convention of the Ukrainian National providing good specialized care. Women’s League of America held over Other officers presented reports on Memorial Day weekend focused on con- their work since the previous board meet- tinuing the 86-year-old organization’s mul- ing. Board members approved the presi- tifaceted mission and enrolling new gener- dent’s proposal that a new standing com- ations of members. The convention, held at mittee be created in connection with the the Hanover Marriott Hotel in Whippany, UNWLA website, with Zoriana N.J., was dedicated to the 25th anniversary Haftkowycz as chairwoman. of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. The afternoon of the convention’s first On Friday, May 27, the UNWLA’s day was devoted to seminars about ongo- national board convened its final meeting ing projects or new initiatives. Education of the three-year term. President Committee Chair Christine Shwed spoke Marianna Zajac recapped some of the on “The Importance of Fairy Tales in a highlights of the work accomplished dur- Child’s Life” and presented a pedagogical ing her presidency and introduced a new rationale for the children’s stories she has UNWLA project: supporting Lviv’s been creating for Our Life magazine. Pediatric Burn Unit with funds from the The seminar included the participa- generous bequest of the late honorary tion via Skype of Ivan Malkovych, member of the UNWLA Mary Beck. The founder of Ukraine’s A-BA-BA-HA-LA- Zoriana Haftkowycz UNWLA will be working with Dr. MA-HA publishing house and storyteller Volodymyr Savchyn, who treats approxi- UNWLA President Marianna Zajac is greeted with the traditional bread and salt mately 300 children annually at the Lviv by Oksana Petryna, a representative of the Convention Committee. (Continued on page 10) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 No. 26 ANALYSIS Will Kyiv seek alternatives to Russian gas Ukraine mourns war victims Affairs Minister Yurii Lutsenko, who is charged with abuse of office. One of the or make concessions to Moscow? KYIV – On June 22 Ukraine held offi- leaders of the Our Ukraine-People’s Self- cial events dedicated to the 70th anniver- Defense parliamentary faction, he went on by Pavel Korduban Messrs. Azarov and Kaskiv announced sary of Hitler’s attack on the USSR and trial on May 23 for abuse of office and Eurasia Daily Monitor plans to build the terminal on the Black the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. misappropriation of funds. He denies any Sea last year. The plan is to receive tank- Kyiv, which the Nazis bombed at dawn Kyiv’s recent attempt to persuade wrongdoing and says his case is politically ers with LNG from Azerbaijan, which on June 22, 1941, commemorated the motivated. Mr. Lutsenko’s first request to Moscow to lower the price of gas for last January in Davos agreed to supply 7 victims of the Great Patriotic War of Ukraine proved to be a fiasco. Russian be released from detention was rejected by bcm of LNG to Ukraine in 2014-2015, 1941-1945. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Judge Serhii Vovk in May. His lawyers Prime Minister Vladimir Putin made it when Kyiv plans to launch the first stage Volodymyr Lytvyn and Prime Minister clear to his visiting Ukrainian counterpart filed another request asking the court to of the terminal. However, it is not clear Mykola Azarov laid flowers at the Tomb release their client, saying he needed med- Mykola Azarov, on June 7 that Moscow whether Azerbaijan can guarantee stable of the Unknown Soldier in Glory Park was happy with the current situation ical treatment after he protested his arrest supplies and, if not, where Ukraine will and at the monument to Marshal Ivan by going on a one-month hunger strike when the global growth of energy prices buy LNG. Kozhedub. On the eve of the commemo- makes Russian gas more expensive each between April 22 and May 23. Judge Vovk The issue of Central Asian gas is even ration, President Viktor Yanukovych rejected that request, saying that quarter. more complicated. addressed veterans and compatriots, Mr. Putin hinted that Moscow could “Lutsenko’s lawyers failed to provide suf- Ukrainian Coal and Energy Minister, stressing that Ukrainians paid an incredi- ficient materials proving that Lutsenko make concessions if Kyiv agreed to either Yurii Boiko, reportedly asked Gazprom bly high price – more than 10 million join the Moscow-dominated Customs cannot be kept in the detention center due to allow Ukraine to buy 25-30 bcm of gas lives – for freedom and peace. to his current state of health.” (RFE/RL) Union or merge the national oil and gas from Central Asia at $200 to $220 per (Ukrinform) company Naftohaz Ukrainy with 1,000 cubic meters of gas compared to Court bans use of Soviet-era flag Gazprom (Eurasia Daily Monitor, June $350, which Ukraine is expected to pay ‘Communism=Nazism’ billboards in Lviv 10).