NEWSBRIEFS

Yushchenko vows to work for coalition

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko said in a television interview on March 23 that he will actively participate in forging a new governing coalition after the March 26 parliamentary elections, Interfax-Ukraine reported. Mr. Yushchenko said he is convinced that the Our Ukraine bloc will form the core of such a coalition, which, he added, should also include the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, the Pora-Reform and Order Party Bloc and the Pliusch-Kostenko Bloc. Asked whether Our Ukraine could form a coalition with the Party of the Regions led by his former presidential rival Viktor Yanukovych, Mr. Yushchenko said Our Ukraine could cooperate with Mr. Yanukovych's party on specific issues within the new Parliament. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Tymoshenko: restore Orange coalition

KYIV - Yulia Tymoshenko, head of the eponymous political bloc, called on President Viktor Yushchenko on March 27 to sign a deal that would recreate the Orange Revolution coalition between her bloc, the pro-Yushchenko Our Ukraine and the Socialist Party, Ukrainian media reported. "Principles have been agreed. The party winning the greatest number of votes among the three participants puts forward its candidate for prime minister, with no right of veto," Reuters quoted Ms. Tymoshenko as saying. "We should not lose a single minute. We need to make a decision immediately and form the government ... in order not to disillusion people again." President Yushchenko has not yet responded publicly to Ms. Tymoshenko's proposal. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yushchenko meets with party leaders

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko on March 28 held separate meetings with Party of the Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych, Yulia Tymoshenko, head of the eponymous political bloc, and Socialist Party leader Oleksander Moroz to discuss the post-election situation and the formation of a future coalition in the Verkhovna Rada, Interfax-Ukraine reported. "I can say that today's meeting with the president testifies that the path [toward restoring an Orange coalition] is absolutely possible, and we are beginning today to conduct practical consultations and make steps toward rapprochement," Ms. Tymoshenko told journalists. Mr. Moroz said of his meeting with President Yushchenko: "We have not reached any agreement with anybody, as there are only preliminary talks. ... Since there are no official returns from the elections, there can be no final documents on the coalition." The Party of the Regions press service reported that Messrs. Yushchenko and Yanukovych agreed that "the elections were democratic and transparent, although there were flaws in organization and, as a result, a lot of citizens were unable to vote." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Voters in U.S. support Our Ukraine

WASHINGTON - The majority of Ukrainian citizens who voted in the United States in the Verkhovna Rada elections supported the Our Ukraine Bloc, which received a total of 3,974 votes. The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc was backed by 841 votes, the civil bloc Pora-Reforms and Order Party by 363 votes, the all-Ukrainian union Freedom by 130 votes and the Party of the Regions by 73 votes. Polling stations functioned in the District of Columbia, New York City, Chicago, San-Francisco and Kent, Wash. (Ukrinform)

SPU supports democratic coalition

KYIV - The political council of the Socialist Party of Ukraine on March 28 passed a resolution in support of the Memorandum on Forming the Coalition of Democratic Forces of Ukraine comprising the SPU, Our Ukraine and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. According to the SPU political council resolution, "in local radas SPU might form blocs only with the Our Ukraine People's Union, the Tymoshenko Bloc and political parties of these blocs." It also noted that "Political agreements on mutual support for staff appointments can be reached with other parties and blocs. All SPU staff decisions must be preliminarily adjusted with the political council and regional committees of the SPU, correspondingly." (Ukrinform)

Election losers voice accusations

KYIV - People's Opposition bloc leader Natalia Vitrenko on March 28 accused the incumbent authorities of election forgery. At that point, her bloc had 2.82 percent of the electorate's votes. Ms. Vitrenko contended that the exit polls were deliberately meant to mislead voters by understating her bloc's chances for clearing the 3 percent barrier. Ms. Vitrenko also accused the Central Electoral Commission of providing incorrect election returns on the CEC's website. She said she does not rule out massive protest actions. Meanwhile, Viche party leaders Inna Bogoslovskaya and Vadim Karasev maintained that their the party's votes were stolen in favor of the Party of the Regions, the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine. They further contended that the authorities had applied Stalin's principle, who once said that the way the people vote does not matter, what matters is the way the votes are counted. (Ukrinform)

Pora leader Kaskiv steps down

KYIV - Pora leader Vladyslav Kaskiv has decided to submit his resignation, in view of the party's obvious failure to clear the 3 percent barrier in the March 26 parliamentary elections, it was reported on March 29. According to Ukrayinska Pravda, Mr. Kaskiv was to formally submit his resignation that day. Last week, speaking at a press conference, the Pora leader promised that he wouldl resign the post if the bloc of Pora-Reforms and Order failed to get voted in to the new Parliament. According to the Central Election Commission, the bloc had collected 1.47 percent of the votes with 95.44 percent of protocols processed. (Ukrinform)

Medvedchuk resigns as SDPU leader

KYIV - The chairman of the Social Democratic Party - United, Viktor Medvedchuk, submitted his resignation on March 29 in view of the fact that the opposition bloc Ne Tak! was not elected on March 26. The SDPU was a member of the bloc. Led by ex-President Leonid Kravchuk, the Ne Tak! (Not So!) bloc collected 0.9 percent of the electorate's votes. Mr. Medvedchuk was President Leonid Kuchma's chief of staff. (Ukrinform)

Three Ukrainians jailed in Miensk

KYIV - Three Ukrainian citizens remain jailed by the Miensk police department, having being arrested during opposition protest actions, the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry's spokesman said on March 28. The Ukrainian citizens were reported in satisfactory condition, having no complaints on improper treatment. Spokesman Vasyl Filipchuk said the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry keeps urging the Belarusian authorities to recognize Belarusian citizens' right to peaceful assembly in accordance with generally accepted democratic rules, to be tolerant, to avoid repression and to free all those detained during the peaceful protest actions. The Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry also called on Belarus to launch a dialogue with opposition forces and to consider the conclusions and commentaries by election observation missions of the international community. Mr. Filipchuk noted that Ukraine is worried about the groundless detention of Ukrainian citizens in Belarus and the denial of entry into Belarus of Ukrainian nationals. "These facts contradict the spirit of friendly and good neighborly relations between the Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples, and create obstacles to the development of contacts between the two states," he stressed. (Ukrinform)

Belarusian courts jail 500 protesters

MIENSK - Some 500 of those arrested in Miensk on March 23, 24 and 25 stood trial in nine district courts in the Belarusian capital on March 27 and 28 and were jailed for up to 15 days under an article punishing those who organized or participated in unsanctioned rallies, Belapan reported. Further trials were expected to take place. Human rights activist Uladzimir Labkovich claimed that the Belarusian authorities are violating the United Nations Convention Against Torture. "People were beaten up and threatened when they were arrested. They were not given food and even water for many hours, and not allowed to go to a lavatory," Mr. Labkovich alleged. "Transporting people in paddy wagons, handcuffing them like dangerous criminals, forcing them to stand with their faces against the wall in courts, ordering them not to report their names - these are all torture. Torture is also being applied to their parents. They are denied information about their children's whereabouts for several days." Belarusian human right activists have reportedly drawn up a list of 53 judges all over Belarus who handed down jail sentences to pro-democratic activists during the country's presidential campaign and ensuing protests. The rights activists are going to suggest that these judges be banned from traveling to countries of the European Union. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Lukashenka: peace and order restored

MIENSK - President Alyaksandr Lukashenka was shown on Belarusian television on March 28 during a government conference devoted to improving the performance of the state administration. It was Mr. Lukashenka's first public appearance since his news conference on March 20, when he briefed journalists on the March 19 presidential vote. "All political battles are over," Mr. Lukashenka said on March 28. "There is peace and order in the country, as it was before, despite some outbursts [of unrest] with which the law enforcement bodies - they're fine fellows - dealt very swiftly and neatly." Mr. Lukashenka also said he does not like his portraits being displayed in all state-administration offices and ordered that they be removed. "There is no need for these portraits, [no need for] rebukes that we have a leader mania here and so on. And, in general, I can hardly stand it," the president told his ministers. (RFE/RL Newsline)

UGCC leader at Papal Consistory

ROME - Patriarch Lubomyr Husar, head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC), took part in the Papal Consistory in Rome on March 23-25. The occasion was the presentation of caps to 15 new cardinals. While in Rome, the patriarch also voted in Ukraine's parliamentary elections at the local Ukrainian Embassy. Patriarch Lubomyr was to remain in Rome for a plenary session of the Pontifical Council for Culture, which is to start on March 27. (Religious I nformation Service of Ukraine)

Belarus election results announced

MIENSK - The Central Election Commission announced on March 23 the final results of Belarus's March 19 presidential election, Belapan reported. According to the commission, 5,501,249 people, or 83 percent of those who took part in the ballot, voted for incumbent President Alyaksandr Lukashenka; 405,486 people, or 6.1 percent, for united opposition candidate Alyaksandr Milinkevich; 230,664 people, or 3.5 percent, for Syarhey Haydukevich, a member of the House of Representatives and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party; and 147,402 people, or 2.2 percent, for Alyaksandr Kazulin, leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada). (RFE/RL Newsline)

Miensk reacts to Washington's criticism

MIENSK - Andrey Papou, a spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, said on March 23 that the United States "has no mandate to reject or recognize the results of elections in other independent countries," Belapan reported. Mr. Papou was commenting on Washington's statement earlier that week in support of the Belarusian opposition's demands to hold a repeat presidential vote. "It's not the White House that decides on Belarus's president. It's the people who elect the president in our country - and not in the street but at polling stations," Mr. Papou said. "The Belarusian side cannot accept lectures from a country where there is no direct presidential election ... and where people who have gained fewer votes than their rivals become president," Mr. Papou added, in an apparent reference to the U.S. presidential election. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Police break up Miensk protest

MIENSK - At 3 a.m. local time on March 24, riot police forcibly dismantled an opposition tent camp on Miensk's October Square, seizing some 300 protesters who had kept vigil there since the evening of March 20 to protest alleged fraud during the March 19 presidential election, RFE/RL's Belarus Service and Belapan reported. The arrested protesters were subsequently transported in trucks to a detention center on Akrestsina Street in Miensk. Col. Yury Padabed, who was in charge of the operation, said his troops did not resort to violence while making the arrests. "The authoritarian government has once again showed its true face, having failed to withstand the challenges of democracy. ... This is the beginning of its end. The government has become afraid of the action planned for March 25," united opposition presidential candidate Alyaksandr Milinkevich told Belapan. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yushchenko against isolating Belarus

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko said in a television interview on March 23 that he is against isolating Belarus in the international arena or using economic sanctions against that country in the wake of the March 19 presidential vote, which the Belarusian opposition claims was rigged, Interfax-Ukraine reported. "I think it is not a rational policy to work [with Belarus] through a system of economic blockades [and] economic ultimatums, given our ties with this country," Mr. Yushchenko said. At the same time, he said that Ukraine's "political position" vis-a-vis Belarus is "clear": "If these elections failed to meet the standards of transparency, ignored the freedom of assembly and denied equal possibilities to all candidates, etc., we will make the same political assessment as that voiced by observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe," President Yushchenko said. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Russia comments on Ukraine's elections...

MOSCOW - The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on March 28 that "in seeking to build a system of interstate relations based on principles of equality, friendship, pragmatism and mutually beneficial cooperation, Russia looks forward to an intensive dialogue with the Ukrainian president, new Cabinet and new Verkhovna Rada," RIA Novosti reported. The ministry noted that Russian and international observers monitored the March 26 vote and concluded that the election was valid, although they described the process as an "acute political struggle" and noted some unspecified violations. The statement added that Ukrainians have made a "conscious choice and shown a high level of political interest." (RFE/RL Newsline)

...and slams Belarusian opposition

MOSCOW - The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on March 28 that the opposition in Belarus had deliberately provoked a violent reaction by the security forces three days earlier, news agencies reported. "It's clear that the opposition provoked the government to take violent action and thereby created a wave of criticism in the West against the government in Miensk," the statement added. The ministry considers the protests in Miensk to be "a failed attempt to repeat the opposition's tactic during presidential elections in certain other countries [such as Ukraine and Georgia]. Again, instead of acknowledging one's opponent's victory in a civilized way, a gamble was made on [playing to] emotions on the street in an attempt to have one's way, not by popular choice, not at the ballot box, but beyond the legal framework." President Vladimir Putin congratulated Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka on March 20 on his "re-election victory." (RFE/RL Newsline)

New air routes begin in April

KYIV - New regular flights between Kyiv and Astana (Kazakhstan) and Symferopol and Astana will be launched in Ukraine on April 28-29, the UM Air company's press service told Ukrinform. Moreover, a regular flight between Symferopol-Koln (Germany) is to be launched in April through May. UM Air, established in 1998, is third biggest airline in Ukraine. The company operates A-320, DC-9 and TU-134 VIP airliners for transportation. Charter and regular flights are provided by the UM Air to Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, Turkey and other countries. (Ukrinform)

New Catholic bishop is ordained

LVIV - Father Bohdan Dziurakh, CSsR, was ordained a bishop on February 14 at St. George Cathedral in Lviv. Patriarch Lubomyr Husar, head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, presided at the liturgy. Bishop Dziurakh will be auxiliary bishop of the Church's Kyiv-Vyshhorod Archeparchy. Bishop Dziurakh was a professor at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Klitschko notes importance of sports

KYIV - Former boxing champion Vitalii Klitschko said he believes setting up numerous sports clubs in Ukraine would be helpful in distracting juveniles from the streets and drugs, and in instilling healthy lifestyles and preventing the further spread of HIV/AIDS. Mr. Klitschko said healthy lifestyles are a key to success in any kind of human activity, sports included. Regrettably, he noted, in Ukraine healthy lifestyles are the prerogative only of affluent people. We would like to make sports clubs affordable and accessible to all citizens who wish to be healthy, he explained. Mr. Klitschko disclosed that the Brothers Klitschko Foundation has embarked on implementing a project to establish sports clubs that will provide services in no way inferior to those offered by most prestigious and expensive athletic clubs at minimal prices. The first such club will open in Kyiv in June and will be able to accommodate 4,000 athletes at a time. In addition, Mr. Klitschko said the foundation is implementing a project to restore existing and construct new outdoor sports facilities equipped with basic gymnastic apparatus. Last year 10 such sports grounds were restored in Kyiv. (Ukrinform)

New bishop for Sambir-Drohobych

LVIV - It was reported both in the Vatican and Ukraine that on March 2 Pope Benedict XVI blessed the decision of the bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) to appoint Redemptorist priest, Father Yaroslav Pryriz, archsyncellus (archchancellor) of the Sambir-Drohobych Eparchy of the UGCC, as auxiliary bishop of Sambir and Drohobych. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

IKEA to invest in Ukraine

KYIV - The Swedish furniture giant IKEA plans to invest $700 million to $800 million in Ukraine's economy. In Kyiv it has started construction of the regional trading center Mega, which is expected to be opened on December 1, 2006. Mega will occupy a total area of 160,000 square meters, and its rentable area amounts to 130,000 square meters. The center is to comprise 200 stores, cafes, restaurants, children's playrooms and a movie theater, among other features. In the future the Swedish company will open trading centers in other major cities of Ukraine such as Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Kharkiv. IKEA also contemplates building sawmills in Zhytomyr, Lutsk and Rivne, as well as the subsequent construction of furniture factories nearby. (Ukrainian Times, Action Ukraine Report)

Over 9,500 new citizens in 2006?

KYIV - Over 9,500 persons may become Ukrainian citizens in 2006. In 2006 Ukrainian citizenship is predetermined for 676 scientists and cultural figures and 22 investors with a total contribution of $100,000 (U.S.) into the Ukrainian economy. Moreover, as many as 3,258 relatives of Ukrainian citizens and 288 former Ukrainian citizens will have an opportunity to be granted Ukrainian citizenship. As many as 3,731 persons, who are next-of-kin of immigrants in Ukraine and have been staying in Ukraine for the last three years can also obtain Ukrainian citizenship. The immigration quota is established by the government annually in accordance with Ukraine's law on immigration. In 2005 Ukraine granted citizenship to as many as 7,066 foreigners. (Ukrinform)

Former SBU chief sues for slander

KYIV - Oleksander Turchynov of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, who is a former head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), filed a slander lawsuit against Minister of Internal Affairs Yurii Lutsenko, Interfax-Ukraine reported on March 6. Mr. Lutsenko said in an interview with the March 4-10 issue of the Kyiv-based Zerkalo Nedeli weekly that the Procurator General's Office has opened a criminal case over the bugging of official telephone calls, including "interstate negotiations between the leaderships of Ukraine and Russia," by the SBU when Mr. Turchynov was its chief. Mr. Turchynov said Mr. Lutsenko's allegations are "rubbish" and a "brazen lie." "He added, "When I was in charge of the SBU, this agency abided by the law and Constitution, and did not engage in bugging politicians and statesmen, or eavesdropping on interstate telephone conversations," Mr. Turchynov told journalists. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Peacekeepers end mission in Lebanon

KYIV - The Defense Ministry press service reported on March 15 that a solemn ceremony was held at the 3rd Detached Engineers Battalion's compound on the occasion of the completion of the Ukrainian peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. Maj. Gen. Alan Pellegrini (France), commander of the UNIFIL, praised the Ukrainian military personnel for their meritorious service in deactivating land mines and explosives, and in rendering humanitarian aid to local residents. Touching on the reasons that prompted the United Nations to decide on the Ukrainian contingent's withdrawal from Lebanon, the UNIFIL commander said it had been misdeeds on the part of some officers from the previous rotation. "But today I wish to officially assure all of you that your selfless performance has 100 percent restituted the Ukrainian Armed Forces' high image, and so you may proudly return home," Maj. Gen. Pellegrini told the Ukrainian personnel. (Ukrinform)

Athens has Shevchenko monument

KYIV - A monument to Ukraine's greatest poet, Taras Shevchenko, was inaugurated in Athens, Greece, on March 13 with a ceremony dedicated to the 192nd anniversary of Shevchenko's birth. The ceremony was attended by Ukrainian Ambassador to Greece Valerii Tsybukh; Valentyna Balabanova, People's Artist of Ukraine; National Taras Shevchenko Prize laureate Volodymyr Hryshko; well-known sculptor Oleh Pinchuk and renowned gymnast Liliya Podkopayeva. (Ukrinform)

Kyiv wants to be "cultural capital city"

KYIV - An official presentation of Kyiv as a contender for the title "European Cultural Capital City 2010" was held in Brussels on March 15. A delegation of the Kyiv City Hall presented its vision of the program of events in the sphere of culture and arts, and detailed the rich historical and spiritual heritage of the capital city of Ukraine to the jury, whose members were appointed by the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the European Committee of the Regions. In a fortnight the jury must resolve which of two contenders, Kyiv or Istanbul, can present the most interesting program. "We have much to be proud of. We are committed to provide Europeans with knowledge about our rich culture and history," said Ukraine's representative to the European Union, Roman Shpek, after the presentation. (Ukrinform)

Ukraine's rep at Eurovision is announced

KYIV - Young Ukrainian singer Tina Karol will represent Ukraine at Eurovision 2006 in Athens, Greece. The choice was made, based on the jury's decision and an SMS poll on national TV's Channel 1. Tina Karol, 20, graduated from the Kyiv Gliere Musical School. She was a soloist with the Ukrainian Army Song and Dance Ensemble. Ukraine will participate in the Eurovision contest's final for the fourth time. Two years ago Ukrainian singer Ruslana Lyzhychko won the Eurovision 2004 trophy in Istanbul, Turkey, with her colorful "Wild Dances" performance. Kyiv played host to Eurovision 2005, which was won by a Greek singer. (Ukrinform)

Ukraine to use college admissions testing

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko told UT-1 channel viewers on March 18, while mixing with Kharkiv college students during his working trip to Kharkiv, that those colleges which fail to introduce independent admissions testing will be deprived of state funds geared toward meeting the state order for young specialists. Mr. Yushchenko reminded the audience that four regions were chosen for this experiment whose purpose is to stop corruption at colleges and universities. During the next academic year this system will be applied Ukraine-wide, President Yushchenko said, adding that the government is ready to promptly and harshly respond to bribery in colleges. (Ukrinform)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 2, 2006, No. 14, Vol. LXXIV

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