Two members of Parliament killed in automobile accident (05/26/96)

Two members of Parliament killed in automobile accident

by Marta Kolomayets
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - Two parliamentary deputies from Odessa died tragically in an automobile accident late in the evening of May l 6, reported Interfax-Ukraine.

Serhiy Drahomaretsky, 41, (Illychivske district) and Mykhailo Miaskovsky, 52, (Velykomykhailivsky District) - members of the Communist faction in the Supreme Council - and their driver were killed instantly as their car swerved off the road to avoid an oncoming vehicle and slammed into a tree near the village of Ocheretnia, Mykolayiv Oblast, along the Kyiv-Odessa highway.

Mr. Drahomaretsky had been at the wheel of the Nyva vehicle, relieving his tired driver of his responsibilities. He and the driver, who was in the front passenger seat, died on the spot, while Mr. Miaskovsky died at the regional hospital a few hours later, having never regained consciousness.

Both Messrs. Drahomaretsky and Miaskovsky had a tough day in the unruly Parliament on May 16, engaging in a heated debate about the new Ukrainian constitution, and had decided to leave Parliament early in order to be present at an Odessa City Council meeting.

There were altercations between the Communists and the democrats in the Supreme Council, with Serhiy Sobolev of the Reforms faction engaging in a pushing match with the left-wingers.

Also on that day, Mr. Drahomaretsky had repeatedly accused People's Deputy Les Taniuk (Rukh faction) of being a KGB agent, reported the Rukh Insider. After delivering a warning to Mr. Drahomaretsky to desist, which went unheeded, Mr. Taniuk punched him. The Communists continued their assault, shouting: "Banderites, we will hang you by your ties from the highest trees," and the national democrats responded with such slogans as "You, rotten Communists, you've stolen enough and you want more."

Following the altercation, Mr. Drahomaretsky phoned the Odessa Oblast Committee of the Communist Party to send a driver up to Kyiv. As soon as the driver arrived, they left immediately for Odessa.

On May 17, the Supreme Council formed a special committee headed by Parliament Vice-Chairman Oleksander Tkachenko to investigate the accident.

Mr. Drahomaretsky had been the chairman of the Parliament's Auditing Committee on Privatization and the deputy chairman of the Committee on Economic Issues.

Mr. Miaskovsky had been a member of the Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and Relations of the CIS and a member of the Auditing Committee on Privatization. He was also a leader of the Odessa regional Communist Party.

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