NEWSBRIEFS

PM offers oligarchs settlement

KYIV - Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said in an interview with Interfax on June 28 that the government wants to give those Ukrainian oligarchs who might have made their fortunes under questionable circumstances in the past a chance to live honest lives under the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko. "Today we are ready to discuss the conditions for revaluation of [privatized] strategic enterprises," Ms. Tymoshenko said. "If you want to legalize your properties, please come and pay the rest for them. Voluntarily, without any coercion, without waiting until your hands and legs are twisted and you are put into prison. Make [amicable] deals, start paying taxes, and build your lives in a normal, legal way. I think you have a chance." She also revealed that the government is in favor of adopting a law listing "several tens of strategic facilities" that could be subject to revaluation and reprivatization. According to Ms. Tymoshenko, the current owners of these facilities should be given the right to pay an extra sum to the government in order to fill the gap between what they paid for them and their "real price." The prime minister said a relevant bill was prepared four months ago, but its passage is being opposed by a "colossal lobby." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ballot-rigging cases being examined

KYIV - Internal Affairs Minister Yurii Lutsenko told Interfax-Ukraine on June 28 that Ukrainian investigators have opened 726 criminal cases against people suspected of rigging the 2004 presidential election. "We suspect 5,500 people of voting with absentee ballots two times and more," Mr. Lutsenko said. He explained that the authorities do not intend to imprison all people who participated in the vote fraud. "We actually need to reveal 10-20 organizers [of the fraud]," Mr. Lutsenko said. "I don't rule out that even they will be granted some amnesty, but they should remember that [their behavior] was inadmissible." The internal affairs minister also said he wants 16 deputies of the Verkhovna Rada to be stripped of parliamentary immunity in order to enable investigators to instigate criminal proceedings against them. He added that these proceedings are not directly linked to the presidential election. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Bubka elected to head NOC Ukraine

KYIV - Former Olympic pole vault champion Sergei Bubka was elected on June 23 as president of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. Mr. Bubka defeated former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, the loser of last year's presidential election, receiving 80 out of a possible 110 votes. Mr. Bubka, 41, won the gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and was a six-time world champion. He set both indoor and outdoor world records 35 times. Mr. Bubka is also a Ukrainian national deputy. He is on the executive board of the International Olympic Committee and chairs the IOC's athletes' commission. Mr. Yanukovych is under investigation for the use of budget funds to reward Ukraine's Olympic winners last year. (Associated Press)

NATO chief promises Kyiv help

KYIV - NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in Kyiv on June 27 that NATO is ready to assist Ukraine on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration, Ukrainian and international news agencies reported. "We do know that on the road to NATO many reforms are necessary, and I know the Ukrainian government has embarked on the road of reform, and the NATO allies and myself as NATO secretary-general will assist Ukraine wherever that is asked or wherever that is necessary," Mr. de Hoop Scheffer told a news conference following his meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko. Speaking at a meeting with representatives of Ukrainian non-governmental organizations, the NATO head called on them to abandon Cold War-era stereotypes and look at NATO in a new way. He defined NATO's priorities in the modern world as fighting terrorism, thwarting nuclear proliferation and reacting to regional conflicts. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine, Macedonia look to JVs

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko said at a joint news conference with his Macedonian counterpart, Branko Crvenkovski, in Kyiv on June 27 that the two countries need to move toward establishing joint ventures in order to boost trade and economic cooperation, Interfax-Ukraine reported. Both countries are reportedly interested in developing cooperation in the spheres of high-tech machinery, oil and gas pipeline building and building hydroelectric power stations. The two sides signed a number of cooperation agreements, including on railroad transport, tourism and health. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Kushnariov seeks to unite opposition

KYIV - The New Democracy Party is going to initiate the creation of a coalition of opposition forces for the 2006 parliamentary elections, Interfax-Ukraine reported on June 26, quoting New Democracy leader Yevhen Kushnariov, who was Kharkiv Oblast chairman during the prime ministership of Viktor Yanukovych. Mr. Kushnariov, who was speaking to a New Democracy congress in Kyiv on that day, did not rule out that his party may also join a bloc or participate on its own in next year's elections. Earlier last week, the Procurator General's Office said Mr. Kushnariov has been accused of endangering Ukraine's territorial integrity. A similar charge has also been brought against Luhansk Oblast Council head Viktor Tykhonov. Messrs. Kushniarov and Tykhonov participated in a convention of Ukrainian councilors in November 2004, at which separatist ideas were voiced. (RFE/RL Newsline)

New contract for Turkmenistan's gas

KYIV - Naftohaz Ukrainy head Oleksii Ivchenko told journalists in Kyiv on June 24 that earlier the same day he had signed a contract with Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov in Ashgabat on Turkmen gas supplies to Ukraine for the second half of 2005 and during all of 2006, Interfax-Ukraine and ITAR-TASS reported. Under the contract, as of July 1 Kyiv will have to pay cash the price of $44 per 1,000 cubic meters of Turkmen gas, buying 15.5 billion cubic meters in July-December 2005 ($682 million) and 33 billion cubic meters in 2006 ($1.45 billion). Under the previous contract that was valid for 2002-2006, Ukraine obtained Turkmen gas for $58 per 1,000 cubic meters, paying 50 percent in cash and the other 50 percent in commodities. Mr. Ivchenko said both sides also signed three other agreements relating to a Ukrainian debt for Turkmen gas deliveries and the supply of the so-called "investment" Turkmen gas in 2005-2006. Mr. Ivchenko said on 1+1 Television on June 26 that the new Turkmen gas contract is very favorable for Ukraine, as it allows a savings of some $20 to $22 on the purchase and transit costs of each 1,000 meters of Turkmen gas in comparison with the previous contract. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Gazprom quarrels with Kyiv over gas

MOSCOW - Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom has unilaterally decided that 7.8 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas in Ukraine-based storage facilities will be booked as payment for Russian gas transit across Ukraine, ITAR-TASS reported on June 29, quoting a Gazprom press release. "As for us, we have made a contrary offer, proposing to book this gas volume as Russian exports to Europe across Ukraine," the Ukrayinska Pravda website quoted Naftohaz Ukrainy head Oleksii Ivchenko as saying. Earlier this month, Gazprom blamed Naftohaz Ukrainy for the disappearance of 7.8 billion cubic meters of Russian gas, worth nearly $400 million, from Ukraine's underground storage facilities. Gazprom and Naftohaz Ukrainy are currently negotiating the price and volume of Russian gas supplies to Ukraine in 2006. (RFE/RL Newsline)

ROC worried about Catholics' expansion

MOSCOW - The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is concerned over what it called "the expansion of Catholics in Ukraine," said Metropolitan Kirill (Gundyaev) of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the department for external church relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, during a meeting with the Roman Catholic Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, speaking in Moscow on June 22. According to an official statement of the ROC, "the Orthodox side pointed out that from the canonical, ecclesiastic and pastoral point of view, it is unacceptable to mention Kyiv in the title of the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and transfer his residence to this city." Metropolitan Kirill said, "The realization of this intention by the Ukrainian Greek-Catholics can pose a serious obstacle for the development of Orthodox-Catholic relations, which is desired by the hierarchs of the two churches as well as by their faithful and people in Europe and throughout the world in general." Earlier Cardinal Kasper was quoted as saying that he did not plan to talk about the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church during the June 22 meeting: "It's not my task to speak about another Church, they must do it themselves; so it's not the point of my negotiations." (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Husar: Orthodox, Catholics can co-exist

LVIV - The co-existence of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church [UGCC] and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate "has no ecclesiological or canonical obstacles," said Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, primate of the UGCC on June 24. The cardinal was responding to recent statements of the Russian Orthodox regarding "the canonical, ecclesiastic and pastoral unacceptability" of the transfer of the UGCC head's residence to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. Cardinal Husar stated: "Some people believe that the residence of the Greek-Catholic metropolitan who heads the church united with the Roman Apostolic See is not compatible with the residence in the city of Kyiv of another metropolitan, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. Such a reproach is irrelevant since the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, dependent on the Moscow Patriarchate, and the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, which is in communion with the pope of Rome, are two totally different Churches, despite their common origin. They represent different church unities. These two Churches occupy the same territories geographically, but not canonically, since there is no canonical communion between them. Therefore, the co-existence of the two Churches has no ecclesiological or canonical obstacles." (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Ministers of Tajikistan, Ukraine meet

DUSHANBE - Tajik Defense Minister Col. Gen. Khayrulloev and Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatolii Hrytsenko met in Dushanbe on June 24 and signed a military cooperation agreement, Interfax-AVN reported. Mr. Hrytsenko invited Tajik military representatives to participate in multinational peacekeeping exercises held in Ukraine. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Poll says Yanukovych top oppositionist

KYIV - According to a poll conducted by the Razumkov Center among more than 2,000 Ukrainians from May 27 to June 2, 56 percent of respondents said former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, leader of the opposition Party of the Regions, is the country's main opposition politician, Interfax-Ukraine reported on June 23. The other oppositionists identified by the poll include Progressive Socialist Party leader Natalia Vitrenko (20 percent of respondents), Social Democratic Party - United leader Viktor Medvedchuk (14 percent), and Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko (12 percent). (RFE/RL Newsline)

Businessman's death a mystery

KYIV - Influential businessman and lawmaker Ihor Pluzhnykov died in mysterious circumstances on June 22, the English-language Kyiv Post reported on June 23. Mr. Pluzhnykov, 47, died in a hospital in Germany, following an illness ascribed by some accounts to poisoning. His death reportedly came as he was close to selling Inter, one of Ukraine's two top television channels. Mr. Pluzhnykov was a member of the Social Democratic Party - United led by Viktor Medvedchuk, former head of the presidential administration. Mr. Pluzhnykov's demise is the most recent in a string of deaths of individuals who were very influential during the era of former President Leonid Kuchma. In December, Ukrainian Credit Bank head Yurii Liakh was found dead in his office and Transportation Minister Heorhii Kirpa was found shot dead at his home. In March, former Internal Affairs Minister Yurii Kravchenko was found dead at his dacha just before he was to give testimony in the case of murdered journalist Heorhii Gongadze. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukrainian president visits France

PARIS - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko met with his French counterpart, Jacques Chirac, in Paris on June 22, Reuters reported. "I am convinced that without Ukraine, Europe is not complete and with Ukraine, it would be much more interesting," Mr. Yushchenko said after the meeting. President Chirac's spokesman said France supports Ukraine's accession to the World Trade Organization. Later the same day, Mr. Yushchenko participated in the unveiling of monument to Anna Yaroslavna, daughter of Kyivan Rus' Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise and wife of French King Henri I (who reigned from 1031-1060). The monument, designed by Ukrainian sculptors, is in Senlis near Paris. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine seeks civil role in Iraq

BRUSSELS - Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk told journalists in Brussels on June 22 that Ukraine will continue to play a civilian role in the reconstruction of Iraq after its 1,600-strong military contingent completes it pullout later this year, Reuters reported. "We will transform our presence into a nonmilitary one, having in mind cooperation on such projects as water supply, transportation, the oil and gas industry, the areas where Ukrainians have been known for decades in Iraq," Mr. Tarasyuk said. The first 150 Ukrainian troops left Iraq in March, with another 500 following in May. (RFE/RL Newsline)

International casualties in Iraq reported

WASHINGTON - As of June 22, at least 1,728 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 1,326 died as a result of hostile action. The figures include five military civilians. The British military has reported 89 deaths; Italy, 25; Ukraine, 18; Poland, 17; Spain, 11; Bulgaria, 12; Slovakia, three; Estonia, Thailand and the Netherlands, two each; and Denmark, El Salvador, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Latvia one death each. (Associated Press)

Uzhhorod to assemble Volkswagens

KYIV - The Eurocar company of Uzhhorod will begin a large-scale assembly of Volkswagen Passat B6 by September. Eurocar General Director Oleh Boiarin said the assembly of the new model will begin on August 26. At the moment, the company assembles Volkswagen Passat B5. "It is going to be a car on the new platform, more electronics, a different engine. It is going to be an absolutely different car," Mr. Boiarin said. In addition, Eurocar plans to begin assembly of the Volkswagen Bora under the name VW Jetta. (Ukrainian News Agency)

New department on religious affairs

KYIV - The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has established the State Department on Religious Matters as an administrative governmental body to replace the liquidated National Committee on Religious Matters. The newly established body will belong to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. According to the government's decision, the Ministry of Justice has two months to work out provisions for the department. The cabinet's decree is dated May 26. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

New Antonov takes flight

LEBOURGET, France - The Product Development Company this week announced that Ukraine's Antonov Aeronautical Scientific/Technical Complex (ANTONOV ASTC) has successfully launched its newest aircraft using PTC's solutions for product lifecycle management. The AN-148 regional jet is the first aircraft in the Commonwealth of Independent States, and among the first in the world, designed completely by means of digital technologies. The design was developed completely in a PTC software environment. "PTC's solutions and aerospace expertise have allowed us to accomplish the task of computer-based aircraft design, to provide concurrent engineering, and to build a computer-based system to manage our product lifecycle," said Viktor Matusevych, deputy general designer of Antonov ASTC. The airplane was developed in close cooperation between Ukrainian and Russian enterprises and involved a substantial number of European suppliers. The AN-148, providing seating for up to 80 passengers, is expected to achieve its CIS and European type certificates in the second quarter of 2006. Antonov ASTC was founded by the eminent aircraft designer Oleh Antonov in 1946. The company develops passenger and cargo aircraft; more than 100 types and modifications of aircraft - including world-famous AN-22 Antaeus, the AN-124 Ruslan and the AN-225 Mria - have been designed by the enterprise. More than 22,000 Antonov aircraft have been built, and they are currently utilized in more than 60 countries around the world. (Business Wire, www.antonov.com)

Filaret comments on Church relations

KYIV - "Only the Ukrainian Church can balance the relations between Moscow and Constantinople," said Patriarch Filaret, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP). He made this announcement speaking at a June 6 conference dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the establishment of a Patriarchate in Ukraine. According to Patriarch Filaret, the confrontation between Moscow and Constantinople can be settled only by the Ukrainian Church. "If the patriarch of Constantinople overcomes the opposition of Moscow and recognizes the Kyiv Patriarchate, Orthodoxy throughout the world will be blessed with peace and accord," said Patriarch Filaret. "Then the questions of other Orthodox Churches, namely Macedonian, Montenegrin, Belarusian and Moldovan, will be solved. Christian love and unity in faith should govern in the Church, rather than the will to power. The struggle for power divided Christianity. It continues to divide Orthodoxy in the world. The Church will face these problems until it has Christian love as its first priority," stressed Patriarch Filaret. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Mukachiv Eparchy seeks building's return

UZHHOROD - Bishop Milan Sasik, apostolic administrator of the Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Mukachiv, speaking at a press conference in Uzhhorod on June 7 expressed his expectation that the Mukachiv Eparchy will receive back its episcopal residence, which currently hosts the local university library. According to Bishop Sasik, this issue has been settled with the university administration and his eparchy has funded the transfer of the library. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

BBC opens new Kyiv office

KYIV - The British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) opened a new office in Kyiv on May 19. President Viktor Yushchenko sent an official message welcoming the new office, in which he noted: "The opening of the BBC representative office is a remarkable event in our country's media space. ... BBC was the first company to respond to my call to the foreign mass media to expand their presence to Ukraine." He added, "We want interest in Ukraine to grow and to be understood. I believe that the BBC will help make this wish come true." Present at the BBC office's opening were Great Britain's Prince Michael of Kent, Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister for European Integration Oleh Rybachuk and Ukrainian singer Ruslana, winner of the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest. (Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 3, 2005, No. 27, Vol. LXXIII

| Home Page |