NEWSBRIEFS (02/01/98)

NEWSBRIEFS

Crimean leader praises Kuchma on veto

SYMFEROPOL - Crimean Parliament Chairman Anatolii Hrytsenko has praised President Leonid Kuchma for vetoing a Crimean election law as unconstitutional, ITAR-TASS reported on January 24. President Kuchma said a provision in the legislation would permit only Ukrainian citizens living in Crimea to be elected to the autonomous republic's Parliament, which is a violation of the Ukrainian Constitution. He also said it is too early to switch to a proportional election system, as stipulated in the bill. Such a move could inflame political infighting on the peninsula, Mr. Kuchma added. Mr. Hrytsenko called President Kuchma a "constitutional guarantor." Verkhovna Rada Chairman Oleksander Moroz, however, has sharply criticized the veto. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Moroz sums up session

KYIV - Verkhovna Rada Chairman Oleksander Moroz on January 19 summed up the results of the eighth convocation of Ukraine's national legislature by citing the following statistics: 89 sessions were held; 376 matters were examined; 127 laws were passed; and 103 resolutions were adopted. The chairman characterized the convocation as "one of the most stressful and most fruitful" and said it "demonstrated the growing potential of the Parliament and the parliamentary system as a whole." He added, "This is precisely what our state needs." The most important achievement of the eighth convocation was the approval of a budget - adopted for the first time in a timely fashion. In general, Mr. Moroz noted, the basic tasks presented to the Verkhovna Rada were realized. Looking forward to the ninth convocation, the chairman said that its principal goal will be to bring about the realization of parliamentary, administrative, municipal and court reform. (Respublika)

Rules approved for foreign observers

WASHINGTON - The Verkhovna Rada on January 13 approved regulations on observers from foreign countries, international organizations, as well as Ukraine's public organizations, who will attend the parliamentary elections in Ukraine. The regulations determine procedures for observers' accreditation and authority. The chairman of the Central Election Commission will decide foreign observer accreditation. The document also states that an official observer's term of appointment expires no later than seven days after the election campaign is completed. The regulations do not permit interference in any form by observers in the work of electoral committees or the voting process. (Embassy of Ukraine)

Miners demonstrate for back wages

KYIV - Some 200 construction workers from coal mines in eastern Ukraine demonstrated in Kyiv for the payment of back wages, Agence France Press reported on January 26. Some of the workers have not been paid for more than a year. Government wage arrears at the end of 1997 totaled some 5 billion hrv ($2.6 billion U.S.). The protests continued the following day. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Wage arrears protests increase

KYIV - More than 1,500 people demonstrated for their unpaid wages outside a government building in Symferopol, capital of Crimea, during a special meeting of Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers, Reuters reported on January 27. Prime Minister Valerii Pustovoitenko told the crowd that the autonomous republic's disastrous economy is due to the "independent policy" it has pursued. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ten factions in Verkhovna Rada

KYIV - As of January 16, there were 10 groups or factions in the Verkhovna Rada. Out of a total of 412 national deputies, 366 belonged to factions, while 46 were not members of any grouping. The factions are listed below in order of size: Communists of Ukraine, 79 national deputies; Constitutional Center, 52; Socialist/Peasants' Parties, 37; Regional Rebirth of Ukraine Party, 35; Yednist (Unity), 33; Vpered Ukraino (Forward, Ukraine), 30; Agrarian Party, 26; Rukh for the Nation, for Ukraine, 25; Social-Market Choice, 25; Nezalezhni (Independents), 24. (Respublika)

Rada appeals to Russian legislature

WASHINGTON - The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on January 14 adopted an appeal to the Russian Federal Assembly urging it to promptly ratify the Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership Treaty between Ukraine and Russia. The appeal also urged the Assembly to influence the process of solving certain problems in Ukrainian-Russian relations, such as the delineation and demarcation of borders, and the issue of the former USSR's foreign assets and liabilities. The message also urged Russia to create conducive conditions for the Ukrainian community in Russia, similar to those Ukraine has created for ethnic Russians living in Ukraine. (Embassy of Ukraine)

East-Central European presidents meet

LEVOCA, Slovakia - The presidents of 11 East-Central European Countries met here in eastern Slovakia on January 23-24 to discuss strengthening civil society in their countries. President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine told journalists after the summit that his country hopes first to join the European Union and then integrate into other European structures. The presidents declined to comment on developments in Slovakia, but many said they will pay close attention to the country's upcoming presidential elections. Poland's Aleksander Kwasniewski said Warsaw supports Bratislava's efforts to gain access to NATO and the EU, but added that Slovakia's policies need to be "clear and predictable." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraina magazine marks 200th issue

KYIV - The magazine Ukraina presented its 200th issue, dedicated to the activity of the Verkhovna Rada, at a special celebratory evening held on January 22 in the Ukrainian capital. Editor-in-Chief Yakym Palchyk said the magazine, which is aimed at foreign readers, will now be published in seven languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Ukrainian. Ukraina magazine was founded in 1970 and its circulation was 20,000. Beginning in 1990 it was published by the Druzhba (Friendship) and Ukraina societies. In the years 1992-1996 the magazine temporarily ceased publication. Today, Mr. Palchyk explained, the magazine is not government-financed. He added, "We are proud that in such a short time we were able to re-enlist nearly all of our foreign subscribers and to raise the magazine to the necessary level." (Respublika)

USAID supports public transport

KYIV - Representatives of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the mayors of Kirovohrad, Sumy, Zhytomyr and Mariupol signed agreements on January 19 on improving the running of public transport services. USAID invested $100,000 in the project for each city with funds destined to be spent on vital spare parts for trolleybuses. These cities will also contribute the same sum. The project was begun in Ternopil, and is now being implemented in Lviv, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi, where repaired trolleybuses are already in use. (Eastern Economist)

Pifer meets with Chamber of Commerce

KYIV - The American Chamber of Commerce held a meeting with the new U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Steven Pifer, on January 21. Mr. Pifer arrived from Washington on January 8. During the meeting Ambassador Pifer explained his views on the current political and financial situation in Ukraine. In turn, the ambassador received advice from businessmen on how to do business in Ukraine. Mr. Pifer had served as a political officer for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and as a deputy political counselor at the American Embassy in London. At the end of 1994, Mr. Pifer was detailed to the U.S. National Security Council staff as director for Russian, Ukrainian and Eurasian affairs. Ambassador Pifer said, "I had no hands-on experience of the economic and commercial side, but I am willing and able to learn, and have strong instructions from President Clinton" to promote American business in Ukraine. (Eastern Economist)

Turkey protests boat's sinking

KYIV - Turkey on January 16 lodged an official protest with the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ukraine after a Turkish fishing boat sank and two seamen drowned during an incident the previous day that involved a Ukrainian coast guard ship, DPA reported. Ukrainian border guards said 17 Turkish boats were fishing in waters that Ukraine claims as its territory. They say that one of those boats capsized only after it tried to ram a Ukrainian coast guard vessel. Alp Karaosmanoglu, the Turkish ambassador in Kyiv, said Turkey has the right to claim damages. (RFE/RL Newsline)

20,000 become Ukrainian citizens

WASHINGTON - Twenty thousand people received Ukrainian citizenship and more than 19,000 people applied to the president of Ukraine for Ukrainian citizenship in 1997, according to Yevhen Kushnariov, chief of the Presidential Administration. Only 330 Ukrainians reported adopting foreign citizenship in 1997. (Embassy of Ukraine)

Kuchma commuted 25 death sentences

WASHINGTON - President Leonid Kuchma signed decrees last year commuting 25 death sentences to 20-year prison terms, the chief of the Presidential Administration, Yevhen Kushnariov, disclosed at a news briefing on January 14. He further disclosed that the president had approved only three death sentences in 1996. According to him, the sharp increase in the number of pardons is connected with the moratorium that Ukraine has imposed on the implementation of death sentences in accordance with demands by the Council of Europe. (Embassy of Ukraine)

Pustovoitenko visits Uzbekistan

TASHKENT - Prime Minister Valerii Pustovoitenko of Ukraine was in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent on January 16 to attend the second meeting of the Ukrainian-Uzbek cooperation commission, Tashkent Radio reported. The commission signed five agreements on cooperation in science and technology and improving communications between the two governments. Mr. Pustovoitenko also met with Uzbek Prime Minister Utkur Sultanov and reached a "preliminary agreement" on Uzbek shipments of up to 6 billion cubic meters of gas to Ukraine this year. They also discussed joint projects in passenger and cargo airplane construction, and Ukrainian assistance in building new rail tracks in Uzbekistan. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Kyiv denounces new 'union treaty'

KYIV - Presidential administration chief Yevgenii Kushnariov has described plans by Communist groups from former Soviet republics to sign a new union treaty in Kyiv on February 7 as a publicity stunt, Interfax reported on January 8. He noted that no one can speak on behalf of countries except their duly constituted authorities. (RFE/RL Newsline)

| Home Page |