NEWSBRIEFS (07/28/02)

NEWSBRIEFS

Symonenko calls for protest campaign

KYIV - Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko has called for launching a "broad and powerful civic protest campaign" against the expanding pauperization of Ukrainians, Ukrainian news agencies reported on July 23. "[Ukraine's] political system needs not a correction but a radical change," Mr. Symonenko said in a statement. He said one of the key goals of the proposed protest campaign could be holding an early presidential election in the country. "All of us should have a clear understanding that the early election is not a goal in itself but one of the tools for building a democratic and efficient political system in Ukraine," Mr. Symonenko added. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine again seeks grain to EU

KYIV - Vice Prime Minister Leonid Kozachenko told journalists on July 23 that the government is currently negotiating this year's Ukrainian grain exports to the European Union, UNIAN and Interfax reported. Mr. Kozachenko said Ukraine wants EU countries to buy some 2 million tons of Ukrainian grain out of this year's harvest, which is approximately equal to Ukraine's grain exports to the EU last year. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anatolii Kinakh said the same day that Ukraine has harvested 21.2 million tons of grain to date from 61 percent of its grain-producing regions. Ukrainian farmers are counting on a harvest of 35 million tons of grain this year. In comparison, last year Ukraine harvested 39.7 million tons. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Our Ukraine to use 'extreme measures'?

KYIV - The UNIAN news service on July 22 quoted National Deputy Roman Bezsmertnyi of Our Ukraine as saying that "the parliamentary elections and repeat elections have shown that there is no constitutional way in Ukraine's political realities to change the power system." Mr. Bezsmertnyi was commenting on the repeat parliamentary elections on July 14 in three districts, Nos. 18, 35 and 201. A court invalidated the election results in constituency No. 18 in Vinnytsia Oblast where the winner was Mykola Odainyk, who was supported by Our Ukraine. Mr. Bezsmertnyi added that Our Ukraine is now pondering whether to use "extreme measures" against the existing power system. "It is becoming obvious that [the presidential administration] is working on scenarios to elect President Leonid Kuchma for a third term, and the repeat elections tested the mechanisms that will be put in operation in 2004," Mr. Bezsmertnyi commented. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine hosts GUUAM summit

YALTA - The presidents of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova met in the Crimean resort of Yalta on July 19-20 and signed a number of accords, including on the creation of a free-trade zone and on combating money laundering, organized crime and terrorism, Western and Ukrainian media reported. GUUAM was set up in 1997 as a political, economic and strategic alliance designed to seek mechanisms of interaction outside Russian influence. Uzbekistan joined in 1999, but announced last month that it was "suspending" its membership. The country was nonetheless represented at the Yalta summit by its ambassador to Ukraine, Shakhmansur Shakhalilov. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Melnychenko tapes to be verified abroad

KYIV - Sviatoslav Piskun, Ukraine's newly appointed procurator-general, has ordered a test abroad of secret recordings made by former presidential bodyguard Mykola Melnychenko in President Leonid Kuchma's office that link the Ukrainian president to the murder of journalist Heorhii Gongadze, Reuters reported on July 19. "The procurator-general has announced a full authentication in a third country, which has a high level of modern electronic technology and has not before taken part in the investigation of the tape," Mr. Piskun said in a statement. He also ordered new genetic tests on a headless body believed to be that of Gongadze. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Protesting miners promised back wages

KYIV - Hundreds of coal miners brought traffic to a standstill in downtown Kyiv on July 18, during a 40-minute rally to demand back wages, the Associated Press and ITAR-TASS reported. The protesters demanded that President Leonid Kuchma and Prime Minister Anatolii Kinakh pay the miners 1.2 billion hrv ($230 million) in unpaid wages. Ukrainian coal miners have staged a number of protests over wage arrears in recent months, including a three-week hunger strike. According to Oleksander Bondarchuk, a member of the Verkhovna Rada and a representative of the Ukrainian Workers' Union, the government has not made good on promises to pay the back wages, the AP reported. Mr. Kinakh met with the chairman of the Union of Coal Industry Workers, Viktor Turmanov, and other union representatives following the July 18 protest and the prime minister promised to personally ensure that $25 million is paid to the miners by the end of this year, according to the AP. "We have trusted our prime minister yet again," ITAR-TASS quoted Mr. Turmanov as saying. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Russia to retain use of naval base

KYIV - Foreign Affairs Minister Anatolii Zlenko said on July 18 that Ukraine will abide by its agreement allowing Russia use of the Sevastopol naval base, Agence-France Press reported the same day. Under a 20-year lease signed with Ukraine in 1997, Russia is allowed use of 80 percent of the base, which houses the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine announced earlier this month that it intends to seek NATO membership, but Mr. Zlenko said, "This issue is not relevant today. We have 15 years ahead of us." (RFE/RL Newsline)

EU sees progress in Kyiv's WTO bid

KYIV - Speaking after a meeting of the joint European Union-Ukraine commission in Kyiv on July 17, Gustavo Prada, the head of the EU's trade-analysis body, said that "it is clear that economic reforms are taking place in Ukraine, but not everything is perfect," the Associated Press reported. According to the news agency, the agenda of the EU-Ukrainian meeting included Ukraine's trade with European countries, cooperation in steel and agriculture sectors, and Ukraine's bid for World Trade Organization (WTO) membership. Mr. Prada said Ukraine's accession to the WTO "depends on how quickly Ukraine's government wants to adapt its legislation to WTO standards." He urged the government to enforce existing laws, especially in the sphere of copyright protection. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Georgia, Ukraine sign agreements

TBILISI - A Ukrainian government delegation headed by Prime Minister Anatolii Kinakh participated in a two-day session in Tbilisi on July 16-17 of the Georgian-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, Caucasus Press and ITAR-TASS reported. The two sides signed a total of eight agreements, including one on restructuring Georgia's debts to Ukraine, one on the protection of classified information, and others on education and culture. The two delegations discussed coordination of transport tariffs, establishment of a joint venture to manufacture arms, and the possibility of Georgian participation in the international consortium to build and operate the Odesa-Brody-Gdansk oil-export pipeline. Mr. Kinakh underscored the "shared strategic interests" uniting the two countries, ITAR-TASS reported. (RFE/RL Newsline)

| Home Page |