NEWSBRIEFS

Gryndzholy changes lyrics

KYIV - The Ivano-Frankivsk group Gryndzholy, whose entry into this year's Eurovision song contest was rejected by organizers as too political, has changed the lyrics to "Razom Nas Bahato" (Together We Are Many), considered the unofficial anthem of the Orange Revolution. Eurovision's executive producer, Svante Stockselius, disqualified the song on the grounds that the song contest is "non-political." The BBC reported that Gryndzholy, whose English-language name is Greenjolly, has written new lyrics to the hip-hop song. According to Ukrinform, the lyrics no longer mention Viktor Yushchenko's name. It has also been reported that the Communist Party has accused the Yushchenko administration of rigging the vote to favor Gryndzholy as Ukraine's representative in the 2005 Eurovision contest, which will take place in Kyiv in May. (The New York Times, Ukrinform)

27 state-run companies face audit

KYIV - The Cabinet of Ministers has resolved to conduct financial audits of 27 major state-run enterprises within the next month, Interfax reported on March 16. The audit list includes such oil and gas companies as Naftohaz Ukrainy, Ukrtransnafta, Ukrnafta and Uktranshaz, as well as electricity-distributing and -producing companies Ukrenerho and Enerhoatom. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko announced the audits in early March when she said that each company will specifically be checked for using state money in "shadow schemes." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Moroz wants report on Gongadze case

KYIV - Socialist Party head Oleksander Moroz has demanded that the Verkhovna Rada hear a report next week by Hryhorii Omelchenko, head of the ad hoc parliamentary commission investigating the killing of journalist Heorhii Gongadze, the Ukrainska Pravda website reported on March 16. "What is taking place now is immoral," Mr. Moroz said. "The murder should not be considered solved as long as the Melnychenko tapes have not been attached to the [Gongadze] case, the Omelchenko commission's report has not been heard, and no case has been sent to court." Mr. Moroz threatened that the Socialists will refuse to vote in Parliament if Mr. Omelchenko is not allowed to report on his commission's findings. Meanwhile, Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn told journalists on March 14 that President Viktor Yushchenko has asked him not to put Mr. Omelchenko's report on the parliamentary agenda. "The president's position is that today there is a need not to engage in politics but to give professionals the possibility to conclude the [Gongadze] investigation," Mr. Lytvyn said. President Yushchenko and Procurator General Sviatoslav Piskun recently announced that the Gongadze murder case was solved. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Communists want parade on Victory Day

KYIV - The parliamentary caucus of the Ukrainian Communist Party has called on the president and the government to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the victory in World War II this year at the "top state level," including holding a "parade of victors" in Kyiv, Interfax reported on March 14. The caucus said in a statement that it protests the government's attempts "to nullify the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the victory and thus to degrade the historic significance of the great victory [and] degrade the role of the victorious Ukrainian people." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Rada votes for victory parade

KYIV - The Verkhovna Rada on March 15 voted overwhelmingly to hold a "parade of victory" in Kyiv on May 9 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, UNIAN reported. President Viktor Yushchenko originally proposed that the celebration would be limited to a ceremonial dinner of war veterans with government officials at tables set along Khreschatyk, Kyiv's main boulevard. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Troops begin pullout from Iraq

KYIV - The first group of 137 soldiers from the 1,600-strong Ukrainian contingent in Iraq returned home on March 15, Interfax reported. The government intends to withdraw 550 more soldiers from Iraq by May 15 and the remainder of the contingent by the end of 2005. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Blokhin chooses Rada over soccer

KYIV - Oleh Blokhin, coach of Ukraine's national soccer team, resigned on March 16 to focus on his duties as a national deputy. The Verkhovna Rada had asked a Kyiv court to rule on the legality of Mr. Blokhin holding two positions, as Ukrainian law prohibits national deputies from having other paid employment and Blokhin did not give up his Rada seat when appointed. The court hearing was scheduled for March 17. "It's with pain in my heart that I'm handing over the baton to the team that my whole life has been linked with,'' Mr. Blokhin told the Verkhovna Rada, according to the Interfax news agency. The resignation came just before the March 30 World Cup qualifying match at home to Denmark. Mr. Blokhin took over as coach of Ukraine's national team in 2003, replacing Leonid Buriak, whose contract was not extended after the team failed to reach the 2004 European Championship finals. (Associated Press)

Pynzenyk looks for 'hidden' $3 billion

KYIV - Finance Minister Viktor Pynzenyk told journalists on March 14 that the previous Cabinet of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych "hid" nearly 17 billion hrv ($3.2 billion) worth of budget revenues in 2004, the Ukrainska Pravda website reported. Mr. Pynzenyk also said the Yanukovych Cabinet gave guarantees for substantial loans to sponsor dubious projects last year. "These are $700 million to build a bridge over the Dnipro in Kyiv, $480 million to reconstruct the Kyiv-Odesa highway and $107 million to credit the Pivdenmash [rocket-building plant]," Mr. Pynzenyk specified. "The government is now investigating what has become of these sums." (RFE/RL Newsline)

PM warns lawmakers of new protests

KYIV - Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko told journalists in Kyiv on March 13 that if Parliament continues to block reformist bills submitted by her Cabinet, people will resort to street protests similar to those during the Orange Revolution last year, the Ukrainska Pravda website reported. "The Orange Revolution has not come to an end," Ms. Tymoshenko noted. "It will continue until we introduce order in every cell of society." The prime minister was referring to the government's amendments to the Customs Code that were rejected by the Verkhovna Rada earlier this month, as well as changes to the 2005 budget law that her Cabinet is preparing to submit to the legislature later this month. "In the event of difficulties, the government will appeal to the maidan [the Independence Square rallies in Kyiv during the Orange Revolution]," Ms. Tymoshenko said. (RFE/RL Newsline)

U.S., Ukraine prepare flights to moon

KYIV - NASA and the Ukrainian space agency are preparing unmanned flights to the moon under a joint project, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. Eduard Kuznetsov, deputy director general of the National Space Agency of Ukraine, said the first launch is scheduled for late 2006 or early 2007 and Ukraine will provide the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration with the Dnipro rocket. "Both we and NASA are interested in this project," Mr. Kuznetsov said in an interview on ICTV. The Dnipro is a single-use, three-stage launch vehicle based on the SS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile. The rocket is manufactured by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau in Dnipropetrovsk. Of the 54 space launches worldwide last year, NSAU carried out seven, sending 15 spacecraft into orbit, according to Oleksander Nehoda, NSAU director general. (United Press International, Washington Times)

Ukrainians on Forbes' list of billionaires

MOSCOW - Forbes has published its regular list of the world's richest billionaires, including 131 new names. U.S. residents lead in the number of billionaires. Russia is in second place on the list with 27 billionaires worth $90.6 billion overall. Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates leads the list with a net worth of $46.5 billion. He is followed by Warren Buffet, head of Berkshire Hathaway, with $44 billion, Indian steel baron Lakshmi Mittal is the third with $25 billion. Ukraine and Kazakstan had three businessmen each on the list. Rynat Akhmetov (258th with $2.4 billion) controls System Capital Management, the owner of a number of large industrial enterprises in the Donbas. Viktor Pinchuk, son-in-law of former President Leonid Kuchma (507th with $1.3 billion) controls Nikopolsky Ferroalloys Enterprise, accounting for 11.5 percent of the world's ferroalloy market. Sergey Taruta (620th with $1 billion) chairs the board of directors of the Donbas Industrial Union, which unites more than 40 ferrous metal enterprises. (www.kommersant.com)

President wants to cut army by 40,000

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko has submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill on the reduction of Ukraine's armed forces by 40,000 people (including 30,000 servicemen) to 245,000 people (180,000 servicemen and 65,000 civilians) by the end of 2005, Interfax reported on March 10. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Non-visa travel promised for EU citizens

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko told a forum of businessmen and government officials in Kyiv on March 11 that Ukraine will introduce a non-visa regime for citizens of European Union countries "in a few days," Interfax reported. "In response, we would like to see understanding on the EU's part," Mr. Yushchenko said. He suggested that the EU could reciprocate by lifting visa requirements for Ukrainian students, artists, journalists and businesspeople. Such a move, the president added, would show that "Europe is far-sighted" and that "it is welcoming the sprouts of democracy." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Extra payments in lieu of reprivatizations?

KYIV - Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko told journalists on March 10 that the government is considering proposing to the owners of "strategic" economic enterprises that were privatized dishonestly without tenders to pay the state the balance between the real value of enterprises and the prices they paid during privatization, Interfax reported. Ms. Tymoshenko added that the government does not intend to review small privatizations. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yushchenko promises 'different Ukraine'

BERLIN - President Viktor Yushchenko promised in a speech to the German Bundestag on March 9 that the world will soon see a "different Ukraine," international news agencies reported. Mr. Yushchenko specified that this country is going to become stronger, healthier, economically robust, democratic and free of corruption. The president also told German lawmakers that he sees Ukraine in a unified Europe in the "not-too-distant future." He expressed his hope that Germany will soon recognize the "European prospect" of his country. President Yushchenko also advocated more liberal visa regulations in the European Union for his compatriots, mentioning specifically such categories of Ukrainians as adolescents, students, artists, journalists and businesspeople. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Chancellor pledges 'new dynamism'

BERLIN - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told a news conference in Berlin on March 9 that Germany will offer support to Ukraine in restructuring the country on the basis of democracy and market economy and bring "new dynamism" into bilateral relations, international media reported. Mr. Schroeder was speaking after a meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko earlier the same day. The chancellor also pledged to help Ukraine on its path toward "the Western community of states" and toward establishing "closer relations with the Euro-Atlantic organizations," the ddp news agency reported. Mr. Schroeder said he agreed with President Yushchenko on forming a bilateral group to work out important joint economic projects and ensure their implementation. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yushchenko listed among top leaders

NEW YORK - Eurasia Group announced the release of its first annual ranking of political leaders, the "Global Leadership 50," on January 14. Among the top 50, which includes Sonia Gandhi, president of the Indian National Congress Party, at the top of the list, is President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine at No. 3. Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer described the EG 50 as "a unique ranking because of its international scope and the way in which it identifies not only those people who are in the major headlines, but also the under-the-radar individuals who are truly shaping world events." The list identifies 50 individuals from around the world who distinguished themselves in the past year as extraordinary leaders in the political arena. (Eurasia Group)

Yabloko leader comments on Putin

MOSCOW - Speaking to journalists in Torino, Yabloko leader Grigorii Yavlinskii said that President Vladimir Putin does not understand the present situation in the CIS, utro.ru reported. "Putin has no interest in human rights or democratic norms," Mr. Yavlinskii claimed. "Therefore, he does not understand how the things that occurred in Ukraine came about" - situations in which the people "show they can fight election machinations." According to Mr. Yavlinskii, President Putin thought he had the upper hand in the former Soviet states and that the international community would turn a blind eye to any actions he took there. However, Mr. Yavlinskii said, the events in Ukraine showed the Russian president that this is not so - and as a result he has no other option than to accept the situation. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Moscow worried about "orange belt"

MOSCOW - The Russian Embassy in Moldova asked the Moldovan Foreign Ministry on March 5 to explain the halting at the Moldovan border of a train with more than 100 Russian "observers" and "human-rights activists" who were traveling to the Moldovan capital of Chisinau to "monitor" the country's March 6 parliamentary elections, the ORT and RTR news services reported. Moldovan police said the train from St. Petersburg was stopped and sent back because some were "spinmasters" and people with no reason "to stay in Moldova," NTV reported. Meanwhile, Izvestia wrote on March 4 that regardless of the results of the Moldovan elections, Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has already agreed with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to create "an orange belt" around Russia and to reinvigorate GUUAM, the regional alliance made up of Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova. "Russia is unable to formulate a strategy and policy regarding Moldova because Russia has no state interest there, it only has the personal business interests of Gazprom managers and some members of its government," RosBalt commented on March 5. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Leader aims to stop Orange Revolution

MOSCOW - Speaking at a roundtable devoted to Russian political youth subculture, Pavel Zarifulin, leader of the Eurasian Youth Union, said on March 4 that the main goal of his organization is "to prevent an Orange Revolution in Russia," RosBalt, the organizer of the roundtable, reported. Mr. Zarifulin said his organization - which is the youth branch of the Eurasia movement led by Aleksandr Dugin - is an organization of "direct action" that is a counterpart to the radical left National Bolshevik Party, led by Eduard Limonov. Mr. Zarifulin said the Eurasian Youth Union will use "coercion" when needed. Oleg Bondarenko, the leader of the Motherland youth organization; Darya Mitina, leader of the Communist Party youth organization Komsomol; Iliya Yashin, the leader of Yabloko's youth division; and Roman Dobrokhotov, the head of the Moscow branch of the youth group Walking Without Putin; also attended the roundtable and discussed their organizations' programs. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Russian navy to stay in Sevastopol

SEVASTOPOL - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on March 5 in Sevastopol that Russia has no plans to move the main base of its Black Sea Fleet from the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol, RTR reported. At a ceremony introducing the new commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Aleksandr Tatarinov, Mr. Ivanov said "there is a lot of speculation in the mass media about the future of the Black Sea Fleet." Russia rents the Sevastopol navy base from Ukraine in accordance with an agreement that is valid until 2017. The new Ukrainian government "has said it is not going to revise it," Mr. Ivanov said. "Yes, we are building a second navy base for the fleet in Novorossiisk, but the command and the core of the Black Sea Fleet will stay in Sevastopol," Interfax quoted the defense minister as saying. "By 2013 we are planning to launch talks with Ukraine about prolonging the Sevastopol lease," Mr. Ivanov added. On the same day Mr. Ivanov met near Sevastopol with Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatolii Hrytsenko and agreed to hold talks in Moscow on bilateral military cooperation. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 20, 2005, No. 12, Vol. LXXIII

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