Ukrainian Parliament deadlocked as pro-Communists walk out
by Dmytro Filipchenko
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly
KYYIV - The work of the Ukrainian Parliament remained deadlocked as Socialists and managers of the nation's largest factories and plants who are deputies of the Supreme Council walked out of an extraordinary session on Thursday morning, January 21.
The former members of the Communist Party have demanded that the current convocation of Parliament meet immediately to discuss, in particular, Ukraine's signing of the proposed Charter of the Commonwealth of Independent States, due to be presented at the CIS meeting in Minsk on Friday, January 22, as well as the current state of economic reforms in Ukraine.
And, although the democratic opposition - including members of Rukh, the Congress of National Democratic Forces, the Social Democrats and the "Greens" among others - did report to the Parliament building, they have refused to register their attendance. Without their participation, the Supreme Council does not have a quorum and cannot continue its work.
Leonid Kuchma, Ukraine's prime minister, responded to the former Communists, coming down hard on these critics of his government's economic reform program on Wednesday, January 20.
"If today there has been reason to blame somebody, then, speaking honestly and openly, the question of responsibility has to be put to you - the deputies - who have said a lot of successful and witty words, but in action did not justify the expectations and hopes of the people who were stirred during the Ukrainian referendum," Mr. Kuchma said in his opening address.
The current crisis, he said, came about as a result of the demise of the former USSR, the inevitable disintegration of socio-economic and sociopolitical complexes and structures in the state, and, over the past two years, the lack of a real plan for economic reform and nation-building.
The prime minister offered statistics on the economic depression of 1990-1992, stating that the gross national product fell 14 percent and work productivity dropped 15 percent. The rate of industrial output declined 9 percent in 1992 and the production of consumer goods decreased 11 percent last year. He noted that, over the last year, inflation has gone up nearly 2,000 percent and non-secured currency emissions have reached 1.325 trillion karbovantsi, instead of the planned 54 billion. He also said the economic downturn will continue for several years.
"I am sure that all attempts to return to a command-administrative socialist economy are not only hopeless, but they may even result in the worst consequences - socio-political cataclysms. I do not dispute the achievements of socialism as a system, moreover, I think that socialism is an ideal social system for the poor. We have tried it, we have lived with it," said the prime minister, addressing the pro-Communist deputies who were upset with his firm, harsh tone.
As Mr. Kuchma was in the midst of declaring that Ukraine cannot return to a socialist system, and began to cite the words of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, "If you wish to build socialism, choose a country that is expendable," he was interrupted and jeered off the podium by the Socialists.
"In fact, the pro-Communist faction of deputies interrupted the joint meeting of permanent parliamentary commissions," said Ivan Zayets, the National Council chairman and leader of the democratic bloc of deputies.
"They did not come with the aim to solve problems, as they underscored in their declaration, but they came with the aim to achieve their political demands: the dissolution of the government, the signing of the CIS Charter and the renewal of the Communist Party. They are the least concerned with the state of the economy. We do not have the right to participate in work that is not prepared for review, which may lead us to make risky decisions and, in turn, can result in destabilizing the situation and lead to conflict between various classes."
Explaining the Socialist deputies' walk-out on Thursday, January 21, Anatoliy Yahoferov, a deputy member of the initiative group that demanded the immediate parliamentary session, said: "We protested the National Council's blockade of further work in Parliament."
"We have to find a way out of this deadlock. Today, we don't have an answer to our main question: In whose name and how long must we suffer? And will this suffering result in our nurtured goal? We must ascertain two principal questions: Do we have the consumer goods? And, how do we divide them: by charging high prices (as the government has proposed) or by rationing provisions? First, we must decide how to renew our production and agricultural ties. If this is done, Ukraine will be an independent nation," concluded Mr. Yahoferov.
But the mud-slinging and the standoff continue between the pro-Communist forces and the democratic opposition. On Monday, January 18, crowds of people gathered around the Parliament building, waving blue-and-yellow Ukrainian national flags and chanting "Communist dictatorship will not pass," and "Communist Party of the Soviet Union - Communist Party of Ukraine - to court."
Under the watchful eye of the Berkut Special Forces, hundreds of supporters of Rukh, the Congress of National Democratic Forces and others responded to requests by their democratic deputies to protest the threat of a Communist takeover of independent, but not truly democratic, Ukraine.
As reported in last week's Weekly, the action began after Stanislav Hurenko, former first secretary of the now-banned Communist Party of Ukraine, resigned from the Supreme Council, stating: "I feel that this course toward "independence at any price" - reflected in actions conducted under the slogan 'Away from Russia'" - is unacceptable."
"In accordance with my convictions, the finale is such: political deadlock and economic crises," he said.
Then, on the morning of January 18, on the initiative of deputies from the Luhanske Oblast, who support the Socialist Party of Ukraine and regional associations of the "Citizens' Congress," all deputies of pro-Communist forces gathered at the Parliament.
But not until noon were they let into the building, after 139 deputies demanded that the doors be opened. Although democratic deputies were also present, they sat in the balcony, observing further actions.
Vasyl Durdynets, the deputy chairman of the Supreme Council, was invited to sit in on the meetings, which barred all members of the mass media. The pro-Communist forces demanded that measures be taken to stabilize the economic situation in Ukraine, as Mr. Durdynets attempted to keep the meeting calm and even-tempered, stating that the deputies could not decide such problems without the participation of the Ukrainian government.
Oleksander Moroz, leader of the Socialist Party, read a declaration that stated: "The main reason for our call for an immediate plenary meeting is the unjustified price increases, and the approval of decrees that further heighten our social crises, as the Presidium of the Supreme Council takes no action to alleviate this."
The declaration cast blame on the national-democratic forces who feel it is not the appropriate time to hold a plenary session. And, insofar, as these actions of "supporters of the capitalization of Ukraine," lead to an economic crisis, read the declaration, "these forces want specifically to liquidate the Supreme Council, in order to forego responsibility for the complete shutdown of production, unemployment and the threat of famine," he read.
The pro-Communist forces met with the Presidium of the Supreme Council on Tuesday, January 19, and all the deputies listened to an address by Mr. Kuchma on January 20.
IntelNews contributed to this report.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 24, 1993, No. 4, Vol. LXI
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