NEWSBRIEFS (03/10/02)

NEWSBRIEFS

Rada urges more top-level probes ...

KYIV - The Verkhovna Rada on March 6 backed a non-binding motion asking the procurator general to bring criminal proceedings against President Leonid Kuchma in connection with allegations that Mr. Kuchma ordered an assassination attempt on lawmaker Oleksander Yeliashkevych, Ukrainian media reported. The previous day the Parliament had passed a similar motion, accusing the president of assisting former Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko in plotting the murders of two lawmakers, Yevhen Scherban and Vadym Hetman. The Verkhovna Rada also asked the procurator general to launch criminal probes into the alleged role of lawmaker Oleksander Volkov in money laundering, as well as against presidential administration chief Volodymyr Lytvyn and State Tax Administration chief Mykola Azarov over alleged abuses of office. (RFE/RL Newsline)

... fails to address Melnychenko tapes

KYIV - National deputies on March 6 failed to pass a resolution on giving the floor to lawmaker Oleksander Zhyr, chairman of the temporary commission dealing with the murder of Heorhii Gongadze, who is expected to report on the results of a recent U.S. expert examination of audiotapes made in President Leonid Kuchma's office by former bodyguard Mykola Melnychenko, Interfax reported. The motion to address this issue was backed by 191 deputies, but the required majority is 226 votes. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Court refuses to re-register Hrach

SYMFEROPOL - The Central District Court in Symferopol has rejected the complaint of Crimean Parliament Chairman Leonid Hrach against its decision of February 25 to annul his registration as a candidate for a seat in the Crimean legislature, UNIAN reported. Mr. Hrach originally filed his complaint with Ukraine's Supreme Court, which subsequently returned it to Symferopol with a remark that the complaint should be filed through the court of the fist instance, that is, the Central District Court. However, Judge Oleksander Opanasiuk from the Central District Court dismissed Mr. Hrach's complaint, saying that the February 25 decision on ousting Mr. Hrach from the election race was final and not subject to appeal. Mr. Hrach's supporters have pitched 15 tents on Symferopol's Lenin Square to protest his ouster from the election. An organization called the League of Officers of Crimea has pitched eight tents on the same square in protest against the protest by Hrach supporters. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Chernomyrdin: West humiliates Ukraine

KYIV - Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin on March 5 said the "massive" visits of Western politicians to Ukraine in the run-up to the March 31 parliamentary elections are a "humiliation and insult" to the country, Interfax reported. "They have suddenly fallen in love with Ukraine, they have wanted transparency [in the election], and, especially, they have felt an urgent need for a strong Ukraine. As my grandson says, I am 'cracking up' from such pronouncements," Mr. Chernomyrdin said, referring to unspecified Western politicians. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine confirms European course

KYIV - Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatolii Kinakh said at NATO headquarters in Brussels on March 1 that Ukraine confirms its strategic and irreversible course toward economic and political integration with European structures, Ukrainian and international media reported. Mr. Kinakh made this declaration at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary-General Lord George Robertson. Speaking about the key priorities of Ukraine-NATO cooperation, Mr. Kinakh said both sides should work toward strengthening Ukraine's borders in order to erect a barrier to illegal immigration, arms and drug trafficking, and international terrorism. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Parties want to cast Moroz out of election

KYIV - The leaders of six parties and election blocs - the National Rukh of Ukraine, the New Force Party, the Unity Bloc, the All-Ukrainian Party of Workers, the Popular Party of Depositors and Social Protection, and the Democratic Party and the Democratic Union Party Bloc - have appealed to the Central Election Commission to annul the registration of Socialist Party leader Oleksander Moroz as a parliamentary election candidate, the Ukrainska Pravda website and UNIAN reported on February 28. The parties say Mr. Moroz baselessly accused "a number of officials of committing grave crimes, abuse of office and other offenses" in a Socialist Party campaign spot on Ukrainian Television on February 21. The spot featured former presidential bodyguard Mykola Melnychenko and included excerpts of Mr. Melnychenko's tapes in which a voice resembling that of President Leonid Kuchma is heard using foul language and allegedly conspiring to get rid of journalist Heorhii Gongadze. (RFE/RL Newsline)

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