NEWSBRIEFS

Officials confess to killing Gongadze

KYIV - In an interview published on April 4 on the Ukrainska Pravda website (http://www2.pravda.com.ua), President Viktor Yushchenko said that two former Internal Affairs Ministry officers have "confessed, and the first stage of the probe in the case [of the murder of journalist Heorhii Gongadze] is over." The two suspects have helped investigators to reconstruct the September 2000 killing and "led them to locations where it all happened." One additional suspect, Internal Affairs Ministry Gen. Oleksii Pukach, is still wanted and an international arrest warrant has been issued for him. President Yushchenko went on to say those who ordered Gongadze's murder are now the subject of the investigation. The Internal Affairs Ministry has questioned former President Leonid Kuchma, former Security Service of Ukraine chief Leonid Derkach, and Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn in connection with the case and the taping of Kuchma's office by a member of his security detail, Mykola Melnychenko. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Court to consider Gongadze vs. Ukraine

KYIV - The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has declared admissible an application lodged in the Gongadze vs. Ukraine case in September 2002 by Myroslava Gongadze, the wife of slain journalist Heorhii Gongadze, the court announced in a press release on March 31. Gongadze was kidnapped and executed in September 2000. Ms. Gongadze argues that under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to life) that the death of her husband was the result of a forced disappearance and that state authorities failed to protect his life. She also complains that the state failed to investigate the case in a coherent and effective manner. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Tarasyuk draws attention to Famine

KYIV - Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk, while attending the 61st session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, once again drew the attention of the international community to the crimes of the totalitarian Communist regime against the Ukrainian people. In his address at the session, Mr. Tarasyuk said that the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933 period took the lives of over 7 million people. He stressed the man-made nature of the Famine and stated Ukraine's intention to secure recognition of the Famine as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people. Mr. Tarasyuk also said that the non-violent Orange Revolution in Ukraine opened a new chapter in the history of the country and had a significant effect on the geo-political situation in the world. He stressed that the new democratic Ukraine is an integral part of the European community of democratic nations and that it cannot close its eyes to human rights violations in any country. In this context, he said that Ukraine is calling for improved mechanisms for cooperation in the area of human rights protection within the framework of the United Nations. Among other things, he called on the Security Council to pay greater attention to protection of human rights and give the United Nations' high commissioner for refugees a greater role in its affairs. (Ukrinform)

Sikorsky to receive state medal

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree to award Sergei Sikorsky with the Order of Yaroslav the Wise, 5th Grade for Mr. Sikorsky's personal contribution to promoting relations between the United States and Ukraine in aviation-related matters and promotion of the Ukrainian aviation industry's achievements. Mr. Sikorsky is the elder son of the legendary helicopter designer Igor Sikorsky, who was born in Kyiv and who emigrated to the United States in 1919. Though his helicopter was not the world's first, his was the first truly successful design incorporating all the components that have become standard on helicopters today. His principal contribution to helicopter design was the use of a tail rotor to counteract the torque produced by the main rotor. It was this innovation that finally solved the last major hurdle in helicopter control and made the craft a truly practical flying machine. The VS-300 made its first flights in 1939 while tethered to the ground for safety, but the first free flight occurred on May 13, 1940. (Ukrinform)

Visas for EU scrapped for four months

KYIV - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has signed a decree abolishing visa requirements for citizens of the European Union and Switzerland from May 1 to September 1, 2005, Mr. Yushchenko's personal website (http://ww2.yuschenko.com.ua) reported on March 31. The decree says the measure is intended "to ensure the truly open nature of Ukrainian society, implement Ukraine's strategic course of integration into European community, and create proper conditions for attracting investment," as well as to contribute to the "proper preparation and organization" of the 2005 Eurovision song contest that Ukraine will host on May 21. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Troops may leave Iraq by mid-October

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko told U.S. journalists in Kyiv on March 31 that Ukraine might withdraw its entire military contingent from Iraq by mid-October, Mr. Yushchenko's personal website reported. "This will be mid-October, but I do not rule out that days may be changed according to [the pullout] schedule," the president said. "Our conceptual position is that our soldiers should leave Iraq this year." (RFE/RL Newsline)

First lady receives citizenship

KYIV - As reported in The Ukrainian Weekly last week, First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko obtained Ukrainian citizenship on March 22. Presidential spokeswoman Iryna Heraschenko added that an official statement on this matter will be made in the near future. Mrs. Yushchenko's parents, who were born in Ukraine, met in Germany during World War II and married in 1945. They subsequently immigrated to the United States. Mrs. Yushchenko, who has been living in Kyiv since 1999, has U.S. citizenship. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Opposition party holds congress

KYIV - The Social Democratic Party (United) held its 19th congress in Kyiv on April 2 and elected the head of former President Leonid Kuchma's presidential administration, Viktor Medvedchuk, as chairman and National Deputy Nestor Shufrych as his first vice-chairman, Interfax reported. The party declared itself in opposition to the Yushchenko government and intends to use the same tactics of mass protests that Mr. Yushchenko's supporters used during the presidential elections in November-December 2004. Mr. Medvedchuk told delegates that 16,000 members have left the party in the last five months and that in January-February 3,000 new people joined. The party presently has 395,000 members. The party intends to oppose Ukraine's entry into NATO and work toward strengthening Ukrainian-Russian relations and Ukraine's membership in the Single Economic Space. (RFE/RL Newsline)

EU official praises Ukraine's progress

KYIV - The European Union's External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told Reuters in Kyiv on March 30 that she is pleased with Ukraine's efforts to implement the recently signed three-year Action Plan intended to bring the country closer to the EU. "It's good to see that things have started to move. The government has promised a reform agenda and we are glad to see progress is starting to be made," Ms. Ferrero-Waldner said, singling out the struggle of President Viktor Yushchenko's administration against endemic post-Soviet corruption. Ms. Ferrero-Waldner and several other EU officials held talks in Kyiv the same day with President Yushchenko, Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk and State Secretary Oleksander Zinchenko. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Moroz: no advance toward democracy

KYIV - Socialist Party Chairman Oleksander Moroz said in Kyiv on March 30 that Ukraine cannot be regarded as a democratic country, the Ukrainska Pravda website (http://www2.pravda.com.ua) reported. Mr. Moroz was speaking with Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger of Germany, rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the investigation of the murder of Ukrainian journalist Heorhii Gongadze. "There are declarations to move toward democracy in Ukraine, but actually no movement itself," Mr. Moroz said. "The assassination of Gongadze and the protest actions linked to it four years ago have led to the Orange Revolution. Today, after the victory of the revolution, its sources have been forgotten. ... There is procrastination in [the investigation of] the Gongadze case in Ukraine, and PACE should monitor the case until it is passed to court." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Kremlin to rock stars: stay neutral

MOSCOW - The deputy chief of the Russian presidential-administration, Vladislav Surkov, in early March held a closed-door meeting with leading Russian rock musicians, during which he asked them not to participate in events that could provoke "an orange revolution" in Russia, The Moscow Times reported on March 31. Some participants in the meeting, which took place at a Moscow hotel, told the daily that Mr. Surkov, the Kremlin's chief ideologue, did not conceal his concern that Russia could see a repetition of recent events in Ukraine, where rock musicians played an important role in rallying Ukrainian youth in support of the Orange Revolution. Mr. Surkov said the authorities would like to be able to count on the support of the musicians, but added that they should at least remain neutral in the event of an uprising, The Moscow Times reported. Prominent rock stars Boris Grebenshchikov, Sergei Shnurov, Vyacheslav Butusov and Zemphira attended the meeting, according to the daily. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Participation in monitoring suspended

KYIV - Ukraine has suspended its participation in the CIS Election Monitoring Organization, UNIAN reported on March 15, quoting Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Dmytro Svystkov. Mr. Svystkov said Ukrainian observers did not participate in CIS monitoring missions in the recent parliamentary elections in Moldova and Kyrgyzstan. He explained that Kyiv's reluctance to work with CIS election monitors is due to serious discrepancies in the assessment of the 2004 presidential election in Ukraine between CIS and OSCE observers. According to Mr. Svystkov, all OSCE member-states, including those from the CIS, should stick to the same criteria in assessing electoral processes. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Some improvement in rights noted

WASHINGTON - The U.S. State Department stated in its 2004 human rights report released on February 28 that the Ukrainian government's human rights record "remained poor and worsened in a number of areas," but added that "there were also improvements in some areas, particularly toward the end of the year." The report, titled "Country Reports On Human Rights Practices," is submitted to Congress every year (for full report see http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpV2004/).It stated that Ukrainian citizens' "right to change their government peacefully was restricted during most of the year," adding that the Orange Revolution in November and December did much to change this. The report also criticized Ukrainian authorities for interfering "with the news media by harassing and intimidating journalists, censoring material, blocking interregional broadcasts of independent media, closing down independent media outlets and pressuring them into practicing self-censorship." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Kyiv to fund churches' restoration

KYIV - The Kyiv City Administration intends to allocate 8.396 million hrv (approximately $1.5 million U.S.) in 2005 for the restoration of churches. This is noted in the program of social and economic development for Kyiv in 2005 and was reported by Pravoslavie.ru on February 22. The Kyiv City Administration is planning to give 944,000 hrv for the restoration of the Cathedral of St. Volodymyr in the southern Ukrainian city of Khersones. It plans to give 439,000 hrv for the restoration and reconstruction of the complex of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Berestechko, Volyn region (northwestern Ukraine), and another 233,000 hrv for the decoration of the interior of the Nativity Church in the town of Borozne, Chernihiv region (northern Ukraine). The administration is planning to allocate a further 2 million hrv for the reconstruction of the Cathedral of the Dormition in the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves, as well as 2.93 million hrv to pay for the reconstruction of the Nativity Church in Kyiv's Postal Square. The sum the administration is planning to give for 2005 includes funds for some work already conducted in 2004. Last year the Kyiv City Administration conducted reconstruction work on 11 churches at a total cost of 29 million hrv. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Gerard Depardieu visits Kyiv

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko supported the idea of cooperation between Ukraine and France in the realm of cinematography and discussed likely Ukrainian-French projects at a meeting with the famous actor Gerard Depardieu in Kyiv on March 15. The meeting was attended by Culture Minister Oksana Bilozir and National Deputy Ivan Havryliuk, the presidential press service told Ukrinform. As the Ukrainian president noted, there are many unrealized creative ideas of Ukrainian actors, directors and scenario writers in Ukraine. Mr. Depardieu told Mr. Yushchenko that he is keen on studying the Kozaks. According to him, this topic could be realized in film through the Hohol character Taras Bulba. The famous French actor arrived in Ukraine to shoot a commercial. He intends to open his own restaurant in Kyiv. (Ukrinform)

Contest for Taras Bulba script?

KYIV - Minister for Culture and Arts Oksana Bilozir told journalists, after she met at President Viktor Yushchenko's office with the French movie celebrity Gerard Depardieu, that a contest will be soon announced for the best script to shoot a feature film about Taras Bulba, the writer Mykola Hohol's immortal character. As Ms Bilozir noted, Mr. Depardieu's visit to Ukraine was by no means accidental as he will likely be the film's producer. The film is the brainchild of a triangular, Franco-Ukrainian-Polish artistic project. According to Ms. Bilozir, President Yushchenko will personally support the project's realization. (Ukrinform)

OSCE project coordinator dies

CHISINAU - The OSCE chairman-in-office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, expressed shock and sadness on March 14 over the sudden death of Ambassador David R. Nicholas, the OSCE project coordinator in Ukraine. "I am greatly saddened by this news," the chairman-in-office said in a statement issued during a visit to Moldova. "Ambassador Nicholas had won widespread respect for his effective leadership of OSCE activities in Ukraine for the last two years. He was tireless in his efforts to assist Ukraine along the path of democratic reform. He was also a wise counselor to me on my visits to the country." A lawyer by profession, Ambassador Nicholas, 64, had served as representative of the U.S. secretary of defense to the OSCE in Vienna from September 2002 until March 2003, when he was appointed OSCE project coordinator in Ukraine. (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 10, 2005, No. 15, Vol. LXXIII

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