NEWSBRIEFS

Yavlinskii: Putin manipulates tensions

MOSCOW - Prominent Russian politician Grigorii Yavlinskii told RFE/RL's Russian Service on January 3 that President Vladimir Putin has "created antagonism between Russia and Ukraine" in order to "unite the people around the government." The leader of the liberal Yabloko Party stressed that "the principal mistake of ... Putin's current policy is [to forget] that Russia's [prospects] in the 21st century are good only if it becomes integrated into European structures and generally redirects itself towards Europe." Mr. Yavlinskii added that he is "not talking about Brussels, but about European civilization in its entirety. Right now, instead of helping Ukraine move along and moving along with it, Russia is uselessly trying to not let her do so, and is itself trying to pursue some sort of 'third way' [in political development]. In reality, there is no 'third way'; there is only the Third World" as an alternative. Mr. Yavlinskii noted that the pro-Putin Unified Russia Party distributed leaflets in the recent Moscow election with the slogan that "the citizens are the government's best helpers." He stressed that "everything done ... by the Russian propaganda machine during the past month has been an attempt to persuade its citizens to regard a people with whom they are very close, with whom they have lived for centuries, as their enemy, in order to consolidate them around the powers-that-be." (RFE/RL Newsline)

diverts focus from Gazprom's problems

MOSCOW - Yabloko Party Chairman Grigorii Yavlinskii told RFE/RL's Russian Service on January 3 that the government "campaign" against Ukraine is aimed at diverting attention from important issues involving the state-run gas monopoly Gazprom itself. He argued "the campaign is not over, but I think part of it [involves displaying] irritation with Ukraine and talk of Ukrainians stealing gas, instead of [addressing] corruption in Russia and [the issue of] where Gazprom's money is really going. Indeed, it is a means of diverting attention, which will have a significant impact for at least some time. In any case, [the authorities] have succeeded so far because they have all possible instruments of propaganda at their disposal." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Questions arise about G-8 leadership

MOSCOW - On January 1 Russia assumed the rotating presidency of the Group of Eight (G-8) leading industrial countries, to which it was admitted in an effort to promote free market reforms in the 1990s and help ensure the safety of the former Soviet Union's biological, chemical, and nuclear stockpiles, mosnews.com reported. President Putin reportedly intends to use the upcoming G-8 summit in St. Petersburg to focus attention on energy security in an effort to parlay its oil and gas reserves into political power and influence. International media noted on January 3 that Russia's behavior in the dispute with Ukraine over gas prices has prompted some countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary to take steps to reduce their dependency on Russian energy supplies. The newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung stressed that Moscow's use of gas as a political weapon serves as a warning to Germany against relying too much on Russian energy suppliers, noting that the old argument that Russian deliveries have always been reliable no longer stands. The German daily also questioned the wisdom of the North European Gas Pipeline (NEGP) project in light of Moscow's apparent willingness to manipulate energy deliveries for political purposes. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Russia, Ukraine reach gas deal

MOSCOW - Gazprom and Ukraine announced on January 4 that they have reached a compromise deal on natural gas prices, Russian and international news agencies reported the same day. Under a complicated arrangement, Gazprom will sell gas to an intermediary, RosUkrEnergo, for $230 per 1,000 cubic meters. RosUkrEnergo, which is a joint venture between Gazprom and Austria's Raiffeisen Investment, will in turn sell gas to Ukraine at $95 per 1,000 cubic meters. Russia will also pay higher rates to ship gas via pipelines across Ukrainian territory. According to the agreement, the new rate will be $1.60 per 1,000 cubic meters per 100 kilometers, an increase from the $1.09 per 1,000 cubic meters per 100 kilometers Russia had been paying. The deal ends a tense standoff that saw Gazprom shut off Ukraine's gas supplies on January 1, affecting supplies to Western Europe. (RFE/RL Newsline)

to the satisfaction of both sides

MOSCOW - Oleksii Ivchenko, the head of Ukraine's state gas company Naftohaz Ukrayiny, praised the compromise deal between Ukraine and Gazprom on January 4, saying it benefits both parties, Interfax reported. "We are satisfied with the outcome of our negotiations. We reached mutually beneficial and, therefore, mutually acceptable agreements, which will allow us to fully meet Ukraine's gas needs, on the one hand, and ensure the transit of Russian gas intended for Europe, on the other hand," Mr. Ivchenko said in Moscow after talks with Gazprom CEO Aleksei Miller. "Consequently, I believe that we are switching to market principles, which will allow us to meet our companies' needs," Mr. Ivchenko added Mr. Miller said that "the agreements will provide additional security guarantees to gas exports to Europe and act as a sound foundation for further cooperation between Russia and Ukraine in the gas sector based on market principles." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Leader seeks to end Russia's rent

MOSCOW - Dmitrii Rogozin, the leader of the nationalist Motherland Party, sent a letter to senior Russian officials on January 3, asking them to place the issue of the Black Sea port of Sevastopol on the agenda with Ukraine, Interfax reported the next day. Sevastopol, which is on Ukrainian territory, hosts Russia's Black Sea Fleet. "Russia has every legal ground not to pay Ukraine any rent" on the Russian Black Sea Fleet deployed in Sevastopol, Mr. Rogozin said. "Sevastopol remains a Russian city from a legal standpoint," he added. "We insist on a revision of an increasingly dubious section of the underlying treaty ratified in 1997 that deals with Sevastopol rent payments," he said. (RFE/RL Newsline)

but minister says pact valid until 2017

MOSCOW - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told vesti.ru on January 2 that there is no justification for recent discussions in Ukraine about raising the rent that Russia pays for using facilities in Sevastopol for the Black Sea Fleet. Mr. Ivanov argued that the current rent agreement is valid until 2017 and that Ukraine in general and Sevastopol in particular have made money on it. In response to a question about the problem of a lack of housing for officers and their families, Mr. Ivanov said that housing for military personnel is the army's most serious problem and can only be resolved over time and with strong support from the state budget. Mr. Ivanov was more optimistic about the modernization of the military, saying that much progress has been made recently. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Lazarenko and Lithuanian banks

KYIV - According to a January 4 report in the Lithuanian newspaper Lietuvos Rytas, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko laundered money through Lithuanian banks, Interfax-Ukraine reported. The Lietuvos Rytas article cited data from the FBI and the Lithuanian Financial Crime Investigation Service. "Lazarenko included Hermis bank, which was prosperous then, in his schemes of money laundering in 1998 and transferred $30 million, gained illegally, to the bank's accounts," the report stated. In late 1999, according to the report, the funds were transferred to SEB Vilniaus Bankas, which bought out Hermis bank. "This money is in an account of this bank to this day," the report stated. Mr. Lazarenko was arrested in the United States in February 1999 for money laundering. He was found guilty on 14 charges related to money laundering and fraud, each carrying a term of imprisonment of 20 years. (RFE/RL Newsline)

CEC refuses to register Lazarenko

KYIV - Ukraine's Central Election Commission on January 3 refused to register former Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko as a candidate in the country's March parliamentary elections, Interfax-Ukraine reported the same day. The CEC said that it could not register Mr. Lazarenko because he had not lived in Ukraine for five years prior to election day, as required by law. It marked the second time the commission has refused to register Mr. Lazarenko as a candidate. The former prime minister's party list, Lazarenko's Bloc, was registered on December 27, 2005, but the commission at that time also refused to register Mr. Lazarenko himself as a candidate. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Estonia simplifies visa rules

TALLINN - In early 2006 a new law on simplification of the tourist visa registration procedure was enacted in Estonia. Ukrainian, Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian citizens, thus, can be granted a one-time visa, effective for five days. Presently, European Union countries, the United States and a number of other countries are allowed entrance without a visa. Anyone who wishes to obtain a visa and visit Estonia should possess a sum of not less than 600 kroons (38.5 euros) per day. According to experts, this sum of money will be enough to provide food, check into a hotel and purchase a return ticket. The essential sum of money is supposed to be checked at the border. (Ukrinform)

State of emergency lifted in Crimea

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko has abolished the state of emergency he introduced in some areas of the Crimean peninsula on December 3, 2005 to help authorities fight an outbreak of bird flu," the UNIAN news service reported on December 29. By the end of last week, the authorities destroyed nearly 70,000 domestic birds in Crimea in order to prevent the bird-flu outbreak from spreading. No bird-flu infection cases have been registered among humans on the peninsula. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Rabbi speaks on anti-Semitism

KYIV - Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Azriel Chaikin said he believes the issue of discrimination against Jews in Ukrainian society should be solved on the legislative level. On December 15, 2005, he came from Brussels, Belgium, to the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk to take part in a conference dedicated to the problems of anti-Semitism and xenophobia. Rabbi Chaikin said the problem of anti-Semitism does exist. Jokes about Jews are only the slightest demonstration of the lack of respect towards this people, he said. "It is even more unpleasant when people find offensive cards in their mailboxes or when the public buildings of Jewish communities get attacked," he said. The chief rabbi of Donbas (Donetsk region), Pinkhas Vyshenskyi, said that the official statistics on the number of Jews living in Ukraine do not reflect reality. In fact, he said that nearly 600,000 Jews live in Ukraine, though most of them do not announce this in order not to stand out. The Donetsk region is home to more than 120 ethnic groups, therefore, Rabbi Vyshenskyi said, the problem of anti-Semitism is not pronounced there. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Sobor's construction in final stages

KYIV -The construction of the new Sobor (Cathedral) of the Resurrection of Christ of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) in Kyiv is two-thirds finished, according to expert opinion publicized by the UGCC press service on December 15, 2005. Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, head of the UGCC, asks for the prayerful and financial support of the faithful to complete the work. Since the dedication of the sobor's cornerstone on October 27, 2002, the walls have been built, five domes have been installed and their crosses have been dedicated. The cross of the central dome is already installed. In addition, the basement of the future patriarchal residence has been built. Work is now being done to mount the central dome. The see of the head of the UGCC was transferred to Kyiv on August 21, 2005, in accordance with a decision of the Synod of Bishops. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

UOC-KP makes new appointments

KYIV - A session of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), headed by Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko), took place on December 14, 2005. Because of the death of Metropolitan Danyil (Chokaliuk) of Rivne and Ostroh, the synod decided to appoint Metropolitan Yevsevii (Politylo) of Poltava and Kremenchuk as metropolitan of that area, preserving his position as regular member of the synod. Archimandrite Mykhail (Bondarchuk), treasurer of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, was appointed bishop of Poltava and Kremenchuk. In connection with the need to elect a new regular member of the synod from Ukraine's central region, after Metropolitan Yevsevii became a regular member of the synod from western Ukraine, the Hierarchal Sobor [Assembly] of the UOC-KP elected Archbishop Volodymyr (Ladyk) of Mykolaiv and Bohoiavlensk as new regular member of the synod from central Ukraine. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

UOC-KP forum on national Church

KYIV - The First All-Ukrainian Church-Civic Forum "For a Ukrainian National Orthodox Church" took place in the National Opera Hall on December 13, 2005. Participating in the forum were representatives of the episcopate, clergy and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), state officials and social activists, politicians, scholars and artists, and representatives of the Ukrainian Kozaks, youth and other social unions. UOC-KP Archbishop Dymytrii (Rudiuk) of Pereiaslav and Khmelnytskyi and National Deputy Lilia Hryhorovych were elected co-chairs of the forum. Dmytro Stepovyk, professor of the Kyiv Spiritual Academy, presided at the meeting. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko sent his greeting, noting the importance of creating a national Ukrainian Church. The speech delivered by Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko), head of the UOC-KP, lasted for more than an hour and was the key moment of the forum. The head of the UOC-KP defined the problems the Ukrainian church is facing now, as well as ways to overcome them. He showed the close connection between the national status of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine and Ukraine's independence and the unity, stability and development of Ukrainian society. The patriarch also highlighted the role of the Constantinople and Moscow patriarchates in the modern life of the Ukrainian Church. In the end, the participants of the forum sent letters to President Yushchenko and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and wrote an appeal to the Ukrainian nation to support the establishment of the Kyiv Patriarchate as the Ukrainian national Orthodox Church. Also, they created a church-civic committee "For a Ukrainian National Orthodox Church," with Archbishop Dymytrii and National Deputy Hryhorovych as co-chairs. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

St. Sophia belongs to all Churches

KYIV - St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv cannot be transferred to any one denomination because there is no single national Ukrainian Church and there are ongoing arguments among the existing Churches, said Nelia Kukovalska, general director of the St. Sophia of Kyiv National Reserve, according to a December 13, 2005, report posted on 5tv.com.ua. "All denominations, Greek-Catholics, Roman Catholics and all the Orthodox denominations could have claims to conduct liturgies at St. Sophia Cathedral. We know there is no union among the Orthodox denominations now. Therefore it is still too early to talk about one denomination," said Ms. Kukovalska. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Polls on support for Ukraine in EU

KYIV - About 42 percent of citizens of 25 European Union countries back Ukraine's membership in the European Union, according to an opinion poll released on December 23, 2005, by the European Commission. Eurobarometer is the European Commission Public Opinion Analysis program, which is conducted twice a year. Ukraine is the only CIS nation, toward whose potential membership almost 30,000 respondents were asked to express their attitude. Forty-two percent of respondents backed Ukraine's membership in the EU - a level of support higher than that for Macedonia, which has recently become a candidate-nation, and for Turkey, which EU is negotiating with on membership. Among former socialist bloc countries who are not yet members of the EU, Ukraine was in fourth place after Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania. (Ukrinform)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 8, 2006, No. 2, Vol. LXXIV

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