Community Chronicle

Kobzarska Sich announces vision for 2021 bandura camps

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DETROIT – The past year and a half has brought great challenges to all of humanity in practically all aspects of life, and the North American bandura scene was no exception. Sadly, last summer all four bandura camps had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. While the virtual Bandura Hangouts course offered some summer bandura activity, it was no replacement for a live, in-person bandura camp. This summer will still include some restrictions and challenges due to the pandemic – but thankfully Kobzarska Sich will take place! And, despite still many uncertainties, there is much that can be accomplished.

Newsbriefs

NEWSBRIEFS

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Ukraine disappointed over NATO progress
Ukraine has decried the lack of progress in NATO’s “open-door” policy to Ukrainian membership and said it could not comprehend why it wasn’t invited to the bloc’s summit next month. NATO meets on June 14 in Brussels in a push to improve transatlantic ties under U.S. President Joe Biden amid growing tensions with Russia. “We understand the desire of the allies to hold a closed summit …

News

Latest Cabinet turnover sees two ministers forced to resign, health minister fired

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Rada names new ministers of health and economic development

 

KYIV – In the latest shakeup of the government here, the Verkhovna Rada on May 18 fired Ukraine’s Minister of Health Mak­sym Stepanov, while two other ministers were forced to resign. Parliament voted to approve each of the moves, with more than 280 deputies voting in favor of the reshuffling out of 226 needed. Mr. Stepanov visited the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 14, where he was given the option of writing his own resignation letter. Before he did, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal asked parliament that same day to fire Mr. Stepanov. The Rada took up Mr. Shmyhal’s request and voted 292-1 to fire the health minister on May 18.

Analysis

Finally, the primacy of Ukraine’s oligarchs is in question

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To the surprise of the sceptics, panic of those targeted and a cautious thumbs up from those who domestically and externally had called for such developments, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffirmed his determination to end the oligarchic set-up in Ukraine that has dominated economic and political life for so long.

Analysis

Outreach to Putin, crackdown on Medvedchuk: a hard stretch for Zelenskyy

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Ukrainian law enforcement authorities have detained Viktor Medvedchuk, head of the pro-Russia parliamentary opposition, to prosecute him on treason charges (see Eurasia Daily Monitor, May 13). President Volodymyr Zelens­kyy has publicly hailed (President.gov.ua, May 14) the move against this personal protégé of Russian President Vladi­mir Putin;

For the record

Nord Stream 2 and European energy security

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Today, the Department of State submitted a report to Congress pursuant to the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Act (PEESA), as amended, listing four vessels, five entities, and one individual involved in construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, including Nord Stream 2 AG and the company’s CEO Matthias Warnig. Persons identified in the report are subject to sanctions pursuant to PEESA unless waived.