"UKRAINE REPORT"
In-Depth Ukrainian News and Analysis
"The Art of Ukrainian History, Culture, Arts, Business, Religion,
Sports, Government, and Politics, in Ukraine and Around the World"

"UKRAINE REPORT" Year 2004, Number 27
U.S.-UKRAINE FOUNDATION (USUF)
www.ArtUkraine.com Information Service (ARTUIS)
morganw@patriot.net, ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net
Kyiv, Ukraine and Washington, D.C., Thursday, February 19, 2004

INDEX OF ARTICLES

1. UKRAINIAN INTELLIGENCE GENERAL SAYS UKRAINE
INTELLIGENCE SPYING ON OPPOSITION AND MINISTERS
Korrespondent.net web site, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Thursday, Feb 19, 2004

2.UKRAINE SECURITY SERVICE DENIES SPYING ON OPPOSITION
Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 19 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Thursday, Feb 19, 2004

3. YUSHCHENKO WRITES LETTER TO COUNTRYMEN: "UKRAINE
HAS TURNED INTO A LAWLESS AND UNDEMOCRATIC STATE"
Letter from Victor Yushchenko, Leader of "Our Ukraine" political faction
"OUR UKRAINE" Website, www.razom.org.ua
Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, February 18, 2004

4. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ABOLISHES PRACTICE OF
ATTACHING SECURITY AGENTS TO GOVERNMENT BODIES
Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 18, 2004

5. TEN UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT FACTIONS REACH AGREEMENT
News from "Inside Ukraine," Kyiv, Ukraine, February 19, 2004

6. UKRAINIAN SOCIALIST LEADER DOWNPLAYS REFORM ACCORD
UNIAN news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 18, 2004

7. UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER YANUKOVYCH URGES
BROAD PRO-PRESIDENTIAL COALITION
Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 17 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 17, 2004

8. UKRAINIAN PRO-PRESIDENTIAL FACTIONS SET UP
A COALITION OF DEMOCRATIC FORCES
To Implement Political Reform, Nominate a Single Candidate, Ensure Victory
Radio Kontynent, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 18, 2004

9. RFE/RL UKRAINIAN PROGRAMS TAKEN OFF THE AIR
TODAY IN KYIV AND CITIES ACROSS UKRAINE
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty press release
Washington, D. C.; Prague, Czech Republic, February 17, 2004

10. UKRAINIAN POLITICAL LEADER YUSHCHENKO DOES NOT
AGREE WITH THE USA'S DECISION ON THE 'VOICE OF AMERICA'
"OUR UKRAINE" Website, www.razom.org.ua
Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, February 18, 2004

11. LANGUAGE USAGE HAS CHANGED LITTLE SINCE 1991
News from "Inside Ukraine," Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, February 19, 2004

12. FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN UKRAINE UP IN 2003
Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, 18 Feb 04

13. UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER SAYS EBRD HAS AGREED
TO FINANCE ODESSA-BRODY OIL PIPELINE TO POLAND
UNIAN news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 18, 2004
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UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER ONE
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1. UKRAINIAN INTELLIGENCE GENERAL SAYS UKRAINE
INTELLIGENCE SPYING ON OPPOSITION, MINISTERS

Korrespondent.net web site, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 19, 2004

A Ukrainian intelligence general has accused the secret services of spying
on opposition leaders and government members, according to a report by a
leading Ukrainian news web site quoting the general's interview on Deutsche
Welle. The Ukrainian Security Service, the SBU, has described the
allegations as absurd.

The following is the text of report by the Ukrainian Korrespondent.net web
site on 18 February; subheadings have been inserted editorially:

On 18 February, a man walked into the Berlin studio of the German radio
station Deutsche Welle and identified himself as Valeriy Kravchenko, a
Ukrainian foreign intelligence general and adviser to the Ukrainian embassy
in Berlin. He asked for an opportunity to make a short statement.

GENERAL KRAVCHENKO SAID:

[Kravchenko] Ladies and Gentlemen. I, General Valeriy Kravchenko, possess
evidence of criminal activities by [Ukrainian President Leonid] Kuchma's
regime. This evidence proves that his [Kuchma's] subordinates, Security
Service of Ukraine [SBU] chief Ihor Petrovych Smeshko, and also the head of
the Main Intelligence Directorate, Oleh Hryhorovych Synyanskyy, have been
ordering their employees abroad to spy on Ukrainian opposition MPs and
government members `starting from ministers and higher up', violating the
constitution and the law on Ukrainian intelligence agencies. I have received
one of such orders. I am ready to hand over the evidence I possess to a
representative of the Prosecutor-General's Office of Ukraine and to
parliament's human rights committee.

OPPOSITION LEADER

[Deutsche Welle journalist Nikita Zholkver] General, what orders
specifically have you been receiving from Centre [Kiev] regarding Ukrainian
opposition politicians?

[Kravchenko] In particular, I have received an order to monitor the
preparations for the forum organized by the Our Ukraine Bloc, led by
[reformist former prime minister and opposition leader] Viktor Yushchenko.
He was making preparations for the forum in Kiev, but orders were coming to
carry out work in Germany. What is criminal about this situation is that
there is a law on intelligence agencies, adopted in March 2001 and signed by
President Kuchma.

According to the law, I, as an intelligence officer, have no right to meddle
in politics in our country or, worse, spy on opposition parties. The law is
clear on that. And the president of Ukraine, who under to the law is
responsible for general control and supervision of the Ukrainian
intelligence agencies, should have known about this.

[Zholkver] Did you put your opinion to Centre?
[Kravchenko] Of course.
[Zholkver] And what did they say?
[Kravchenko] They said it was non of my business and that I must obey the
orders from Centre.

GENERAL'S BACKGROUND

[Zholkver] What undercover activities did you undertake?

[Kravchenko] None, of course. I have spent 30 years working in the agencies,
my total work experience is 48 years. I graduated from the higher school of
the KGB in Moscow, spent five years working in Afghanistan, four years in
the Ukrainian embassy in Bonn, then in Berlin. This is my third foreign
attachment.

[Zholkver] How do you expect to hand over the evidence you have to the
Prosecutor-General's Office and the parliamentary human rights committee?

[Kravchenko] I think that after my interview and statement a representative
of the Prosecutor-General's Office will come here, as well as a
representative of the human rights committee in parliament. I will hand over
the evidence to them. [End of the excerpt from the interview; rest of the
report follows]

A representative of Deutsche Welle in Berlin said Kravchenko had produced
documents confirming his identity. According to Deutsche Welle, the general
also produced documents confirming his allegations. The editor of the
programme saw the documents and stamps on them.

The interview with Kravchenko was broadcast live at 1600 Berlin time [1500
gmt]. A recording of the interview was broadcast during the later news
bulletins. The programme was broadcast by the Russian and Ukrainian services
of Deutsche Welle.

The radio also reported the reaction of the Security Service of Ukraine. The
head of the SBU press service, Oleksandr Skrypnyk, did not deny that Valeriy
Kravchenko worked as an adviser at the Ukrainian embassy in Germany.
Skrypnyk said Kravchenko's allegations would be investigated.

[The SBU said Kravchenko's allegations were absurd, see Interfax-Ukraine
news agency, Kiev, in Russian 2205 gmt 19 Feb 04. Another former security
service officer, fugitive presidential guard Mykola Melnychenko, released in
2001 wiretapped recordings apparently implicating President Kuchma in the
murder of campaigning journalist Georgy Gongadze and persecution of
political opponents, triggering Ukraine's biggest scandal since
independence. The president denied all charges. The Ukrainian opposition
has repeatedly accused the government of using state agencies against
political opponents.]
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UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER TWO
Daily News Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/newsgallery.htm
========================================================
2. UKRAINE SECURITY SERVICE DENIES SPYING ON OPPOSITION

Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 19 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 19, 2004

KIEV - The Ukrainian Security Service, the SBU, has described as absurd
allegations by an SBU general in Berlin that secret services were spying on
opposition MPs and government members during their foreign trips. The
allegations were made on 18 February during a live interview on Deutsche
Welle radio. The following is the text of report by the Interfax-Ukraine
news agency:

Kiev, 18 February: The Ukrainian Security Service [SBU] has described as
absurd statements made in Berlin by an SBU officer, Maj-Gen Valeriy
Kravchenko, alleging that the chiefs of the Ukrainian secret services have
been issuing orders to their operatives abroad to spy on opposition
parliament members and government officials during their foreign trips,
according to an SBU statement.

On 18 February the Russian service of the [German international broadcaster]
Deutsche Welle reported that a man describing himself as Valeriy Kravchenko,
a Ukrainian foreign intelligence service general and an adviser to the
Ukrainian embassy in Berlin, walked into the radio's newsroom in Berlin. He
said he had evidence that the [Ukrainian] authorities had authorized
surveillance on opposition members.

He alleged that the Ukrainian secret services had been giving orders to
their operatives abroad to spy on opposition parliament members and
government officials, "starting from ministers and higher up".

The SBU said Valeriy Mykolayovych Kravchenko, born 1945, was an
SBU officer who until recently was attached to the Ukrainian embassy in
Berlin as a security officer.

On 11 February he received orders to return back to Kiev, where a decision
was due to be made on whether he could remain in his post due to his age and
the state of health. After Kravchenko refused to comply with a corresponding
order by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, he was replaced by another officer
on 16 February.

"The allegations made by V. Kravchenko against the SBU are absurd," the
SBU press service said. "For SBU leadership to give any illegitimate orders,
including political ones, would be against the law and therefore it has
never been practised."

While recognizing its responsibility for all actions of its employees, the
SBU believes it is necessary to comment on the possible motives of the
allegations.

"Kravchenko's obvious motive is personal welfare, in connection with the
possible end of his work abroad. Kravchenko's reference to `orders by the
leadership to spy on parliament and government members starting from
ministers and higher up' are obviously a willful provocation on his part,"
the press service said.

The Ukrainian embassy in Germany repeatedly told Interfax in the evening of
18 February that a meeting was under way at the embassy. There have been no
reports about he decisions made. The has been no comment so far from the
press service of the Foreign Ministry, either.

[Another former security service officer, fugitive presidential guard Mykola
Melnychenko, released in 2001 wiretapped recordings apparently implicating
President Kuchma in the murder of campaigning journalist Georgy Gongadze and
persecution of political opponents, triggering Ukraine's biggest scandal
since independence. The president denied all charges. The Ukrainian
opposition has repeatedly accused the government of using state agencies
against political opponents.] (END) (ARTUIS)
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UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER THREE
Build Ukraine Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/buildukraine/index.htm
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3. YUSHCHENKO WRITES LETTER TO COUNTRYMEN: UKRAINE
HAS TURNED INTO A LAWLESS AND UNDEMOCRATIC STATE

Letter from Victor Yushchenko, Leader of "Our Ukraine" political faction
"Our Ukraine" Website, www.razom.org.ua
Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Dear Countrymen!

Ukraine has turned into a lawless and undemocratic state. Struggling to stay
in power, the government is stepping over the Constitution. Violation of
human rights and freedoms, repressions has become a norm in the country.
Nobody is any longer surprised with censorship in mass media and with
"temniks" (special directives). The right of people for truthful information
has been reduced to the ability to read between the lines.

Tax administrations are beginning to look like the soviet-era People's
Commissariat of Internal Affairs instead of fighting shadow multi-billion
schemes with VAT and are turning into the mechanisms of fighting against
those who still have enough courage to express personal opinion and hold a
different position from the official "general line."

Nobody is concerned with violations - if there is a need, they will
fabricate a case against anybody. Tax officials' self-will is explained by
nothing else but by the desire to bring to their knees those who have enough
courage to say "no" to attempts to preserve the existing government and do
not make deals with their conscience.

Enterprises that have been founded or headed by "Our Ukraine's" deputies at
all levels - from the deputies of local councils to the Verkhovna Rada
deputies - have become the objects of permanent attention. It is significant
that the waves of "tax attention" coincide with the periods when "Our
Ukraine" occupied a position of principle towards the so-called
constitutional reform.

"Our Ukraine" appeals to the heads of the state tax administration and their
protectors to stop covering gross legal violations with the name of the
state; end the use of tax administrations, which are called to control the
fulfillment of tax legislature, as instruments for political persecution;
stop suffocating in "their embraces" those enterprises that provide budget
funding on all levels and provide hundreds of thousands jobs on all levels.
We would like to warn Ukrainian intimidators about criminal responsibility
for pressuring people's deputies.

"Our Ukraine" expresses determined protest against the use of state
institutions as mechanisms of political reprisals. We demand once again
that, in accordance with the de-regulation of entrepreneurial activities
legislature, a schedule of audits the State Tax Administration is planning
to hold before presidential elections is made public. It is also necessary
to avoid any unscheduled audits of businesses and mass media in the period
prior to presidential elections.

We ask the Prosecutor General's office to examine the cases of political
persecution by the State Tax Administration and take appropriate legal
measures.

If these demands are not complied with, we will be ready to provide an
adequate response. We announce the foundation of the permanent coordinating
center, which will keep track of all facts of excessive use of government
authority and official position by government officials who participate in
political persecution. (END) (ARTUIS)
LINK: http://www.razom.org.ua/viewnews/top_news/12056
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UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR
Travel and Tourism Gallery: http://www.ArtUkraine.com/tourgallery.htm
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4. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ABOLISHES PRACTICE OF
ATTACHING SECURITY AGENTS TO GOVERNMENT BODIES

Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 18, 2004

The Ukrainian president has abolished a practice whereby security service
agents were attached to government bodies. President Leonid Kuchma issued a
decree ending this practice, which dates back to the USSR, the presidential
press service said. The following is the text of a report by the
Interfax-Ukraine news agency on 18 February:

Kiev, 18 February: Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has signed a decree
"On additional measures to further democratize society and step up civil
control over the activity of law-enforcement and intelligence agencies of
Ukraine".

Kuchma signed the decree at a meeting with the head of the Security Service
of Ukraine [SBU], Ihor Smeshko, the presidential press service said today.
The decree abolishes the practice of attaching special-service agents to top
government bodies (parliament's staff, the presidential administration, the
Cabinet of Ministers, the Prosecutor-General's Office, the staff of the
National Security and Defence Council and central executive agencies) to
carry out operative work and investigations while being employed by these
organizations.

The decree was signed in order to enhance democratic civil control over the
activity of law-enforcement and intelligence agencies, honour Ukraine's
international commitments to integrate into the EU, implement the state
policy in these fields and further democratize society, as well as eliminate
the negative legacy left over from the times of the Soviet KGB, the press
service said.

Smeshko said that all SBU employees who worked in these positions and are
now being recalled under the presidential decree will be offered equivalent
jobs within the SBU.

The sides also noted that the decree should create conditions for increasing
the efficiency of control by government bodies over the activities of
special services and la-enforcement agencies and make it impossible for
these services and agencies to affect this control.

"This is another step towards the European model of the role played by
special services within the state," Smeshko said. (END) (ARTUIS)
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UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER FIVE
Ukrainian Culture Gallery: http://www.ArtUkraine.com/cultgallery.htm
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5. TEN UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT FACTIONS REACH AGREEMENT

News from "Inside Ukraine," Kyiv, Ukraine, February 19, 2004

KYIV, Feb. 18 - Leaders of ten factions in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's
parliament, on Wednesday signed an agreement to coordinate their efforts on
constitutional reform. The move was also seen as intended to not only change
election laws but also to further cripple the presidential campaign of
popular former Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko. Refusing to sign the
agreement were Yushchenko's Our Ukraine and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc.

The wide-ranging list of agreed legislative activities include promotion of
passage of the proposed constitutional amendments, if approved by the
Constitutional Court; pushing for adoption of a bill that would see all Rada
members elected on a purely proportional basis; pushing legislation to bring
local elections into compliance with those for the parliament; passage of a
bill further regulating powers of the Cabinet of Ministers; legislate a
distribution of powers among various bodies of executive power; and reach
an agreement on the length of the presidential campaign.

One of the most innovate parts of the pact was an agreement to decide all
contentious matters by negotiation with no further physical blockages of the
Rada work.

Two factional leaders, Bohdan Hubskiy of People's Power and Mykola
Gopochka of Public Choice, a Luhansk-centered group, signed the agreement
with reservations. Their reservations are election-related; they refuse to
support any measure that does not take into account the interests of members
serving from majority districts. The reservations of the two groups is not
considered a major problem since the two total only about 40 members, not
enough to scupper the plans of the rest of the group.

Rada analysts believe today's agreement further reveals the increasing
isolation of Yushchenko and Tymoshenko in the Rada.

However, there are also signs of dissension within the 10-faction
pro-presidential group. In particular, it is unclear whether Labor Union or
the main Social Democrat faction would unanimously support the proportional
election bill unless the threshold for a party or faction to qualify for
representation is lowered. This puts them at loggerheads with the Communists
and Socialists who want to maintain the current 4 percent barrier and would
support increasing it to 5 percent.

The most recent public opinion poll of those most likely to stand for
president, conducted about one month ago by the Kyiv International Institute
of Sociology and the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, showed strong shifts
in the rating of some candidates.

In three eastern Ukraine regions, Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv, Yushchenko's
ratings poll ratings dropped 49 percent, bringing his national rating down
to 22 percent, the same as it was last summer. Communist leader Petro
Symonenko's rating drop 39 percent nationwide, dropping his overall rating
to 13 percent. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych's ratings remained largely
unchanged, at slightly above 10 percent.

MP Leonid Kravchuk, a former president of Ukraine, said that Yanukovych
should be regarded as the favorite to gain the endorsement of all elements
in the so-called Rada majority, with the Communists and Socialists showing
no inclination to support Yanukovych, at least during his nomination. (END)
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UKRAINE REPORT-2005, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER SIX
Genocide Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/famineart/index.htm
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6. UKRAINIAN SOCIALIST LEADER DOWNPLAYS REFORM ACCORD

UNIAN news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 18, 2004

Kiev, 18 February: Socialist Party leader Oleksandr Moroz considers a
political agreement between parliamentary factions on conducting
constitutional reform and ensuring the approval of relevant laws a working
document, the significance of which "does not go beyond rational planning of
legislative work". He said this in the Socialist Party's statement received
by UNIAN.

This document refers to an important topic but its importance "should not be
exaggerated", Moroz said. He pointed out that the bill on elections and
other documents mentioned in the agreement would be discussed by all
parliamentary factions, regardless of whether they signed the agreement or
not.

"The Socialist faction will act together with all the opposition factions in
parliament in this respect, completely in line with earlier agreements, thus
proving once more that it is consistent in defending the logic and essence
of political reform, which was stated by the Socialists long ago," Moroz
said.

[Passage omitted: Moroz criticizes media report about the political
agreement for bias aimed at splitting the opposition.]

On 16 February, the faction of the [pro-presidential] parliamentary
majority, the Communist and the Socialist factions signed a draft political
agreement on carrying out constitutional reform and ensuring the approval of
laws necessary for that. The opposition Our Ukraine faction and the Yuliya
Tymoshenko Bloc did not sign the draft accord.

The majority coordinator, MP Stepan Havrysh, said on 17 February that the
draft accord had been improved by a working group and submitted for signing.
Havrysh predicted that the signing would be completed on 18 February.
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER SEVEN
Historical Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/histgallery.htm
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7. UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER YANUKOVYCH URGES
BROAD PRO-PRESIDENTIAL COALITION

Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 17 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 17, 2004

Korsun-Shevchenkivskyy, Cherkasy Region, 17 February: Ukrainian Prime
Minister Viktor Yanukovych has called on the government-parliamentary
coalition, which is being created, to unite to win a presidential election.

"A broad coalition of patriotic forces should put up a united front to
nominate its candidate for president and win the coming election this year,"
Yanukovych told journalists in Korsun-Shevchenkivskyy where he attended
festivities on the 60th anniversary of the Korsun-Shevchenkivskyy [World
War II military] operation.

The parliamentary-government coalition has taken another step to create "a
broad coalition of patriotic forces", Yanukovych said. "This has been a
conscious move because the coalition should create a chance of attracting
broad public and other political forces," Yanukovych said.

"First and foremost, we should feel how much political reform is of interest
to other political forces, in addition to those which are represented in
parliament, and how much the political reform is needed in society," he
said.

With the presidential election approaching, "the coalition of patriotic
forces should muster broad and united forces to nominate its candidate and
win the coming presidential election this year", Yanukovych said.

But "life will not end" at that, Yanukovych said. "When there is unity in
society and when politicians unite - it is always good," he added. He said
that he always called for such unity to improve the life of the Ukrainian
people.

Asked if he was prepared to run for president, Yanukovych said that he
would decide to run after his partners, with whom he cooperates in
parliament and the cabinet, make an official decision to this effect. "If
there is an official decision, I will give an answer," he said.

As was reported earlier, leaders of factions and groups of the
[pro-presidential] parliamentary majority intend to sign a political
agreement in which, among other things, they undertake to complete the
process of amending the constitution in parliament, to develop a plan for
the further political reform, in particular, democratic reform in the system
of local self-government, strengthening the independence of the judiciary
and making every effort to implement further steps in [political] reform.

The parties also undertake to nominate a single candidate for president at
the coming presidential election this year and make every effort to ensure
his victory. The sides undertake to participate in the presidential election
this year and in parliamentary elections and an election to local
self-government bodies in 2006 on the basis of close cooperation and within
a coalition. (END) (ARTUIS)
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UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER EIGHT
Arts Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/artgallery.htm
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8. UKRAINIAN PRO-PRESIDENTIAL FACTIONS SET UP
A COALITION OF DEMOCRATIC FORCES
Implement Political Reform, Nominate a Single Candidate and Ensure Victory

Radio Kontynent, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 18, 2004

[Presenter] Leaders of political parties and groups which belong to the
[pro-presidential] parliamentary majority have set up a coalition of
democratic forces. An agreement to this effect was signed in Ukrainian House
[in Kiev]. The agreement was signed to implement political reform, nominate
a single candidate for the presidential election this year and ensure a
victory as well as to participate in the parliamentary election in 2006, MPs
said.

The agreement was signed by the Party of Regions leader and Ukrainian Prime
Minister Viktor Yanukovych, leaders of the Regions of Ukraine, the Agrarian
Party, the People Democratic Party, the Party of Industrialists and
Entrepreneurs, Working Ukraine and the United Social Democratic Party of
Ukraine [USDPU] parliamentary factions and leaders of deputy groups.

The majority leaders agreed to ensure adopting a law on amending the
constitution and develop a plan of further political reform. The leaders
which signed the agreement also pledged to form a united coalition to take
part in the parliamentary elections in 2006, USDPU MP Nestor Shufrych told
Public Radio.

[Shufrych] We can talk about Viktor Yanukovych [as a single presidential
candidate] but it is quite possible that there will be someone else. As of
today, the principle is important - the parties and factions which represent
the centre in parliament are showing consistency of their intentions and the
logic of each step. This will be reflected today during the signing of this
coalition agreement. I want to stress it again: this intention was declared
a year ago and we are proving that we are acting consistently and logically
to reach our objectives.

[Another agreement on implementing political reform was signed by the
pro-presidential factions, the Socialists and the Communists earlier today,
see UNIAN news agency, Kiev, in Ukrainian 1124 gmt 18 Feb 04.]
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27:ARTICLE NUMBER NINE
Support Ukraine Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/uasupport/index.htm
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9. RFE/RL UKRAINIAN PROGRAMS TAKEN OFF THE AIR
TODAY IN KYIV AND CITIES ACROSS UKRAINE

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty press release
Washington, D. C.; Prague, Czech Republic, February 17, 2004

Washington, Prague- Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Ukrainian programs
were taken off the air today [17 February] in Kyiv and cities across
Ukraine, as the Ukrainian FM Radio Dovira network carried out its threat to
drop RFE/RL from its airwaves.

RFE/RL President Thomas A. Dine called the Dovira move "a deeply
disturbing political development and serious setback to freedom of
expression in Ukraine". Dine said that silencing RFE/RL's unique and popular
brand of balanced and comprehensive local news in this presidential election
year robs Ukrainians of an invaluable source of information.

"This isn't just about RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, this is about denying
Ukrainians the information they need to make sound decisions about the
future of their country," Dine said, adding "this is already having a
chilling impact on the media and public debate in Ukraine".

RFE/RL programming was removed from the Dovira airwaves at 6:30 am
(Kyiv time) [0430 gmt] this morning. Dine said he is "outraged at the
unilateral, abrupt ending of a successful partnership with Dovira".

RFE/RL was given just one week's notice of the Dovira decision in a letter
dated 11 February. Dine said that the primary reason cited by Dovira for
cancelling the programmes, that RFE/RL programmes did not fit Dovira's
format, was "baseless and misleading". The decision to pull RFE/RL
programming off of the privately-held Ukrainian network was made by a
newly-installed management team headed by Serhiy Kychygin, a businessman
and journalist reported to be close to the administration of Ukrainian
President Leonid Kuchma. Dovira did not respond to repeated efforts
by RFE/RL to meet during the days after the letter was received.

Dovira had been rebroadcasting five hours daily of RFE/RL programmes on its
nationwide FM network since 1998. Latest RFE/RL audience figures (from the
American-based InterMedia Survey Institute) show a 30 per cent increase
nationwide in listenership over the past 12 months, mostly among young
listeners in the 15-24 age group. Dine said RFE/RL is determined not to
disappoint its large audience and has already begun a search for other
affiliate partners to rebroadcast on FM in Kyiv and elsewhere.

RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service continues to broadcast on short-wave to Ukraine
and its programmes are still available on independent FM stations in six
cities including Odessa and Simferopol. This week, RFE/RL began broadcasting
on a new mediumwave (AM) frequency from Hungary [transmitter located at
Marcali]. Listeners in Ukraine can turn the dial to AM 1188 [kHz] to hear
Radio Liberty broadcasts from 9-10 pm and 11-12 pm Kyiv time daily
[0700-0800 and 0900-1000 gmt].

Hundreds of listeners have contacted RFE/RL to protest the loss of RFE/RL on
Dovira frequencies. A representative comment came from a law student who
sent this e-mail: "I want to tell you that as a student, it's interesting
and useful for us to listen to (RFE/RL Ukrainian broadcasts). You give us a
real picture of events in Ukraine and the world."

Prominent Ukrainian opposition leaders, including former prime minister and
presidential candidate Victor Yushchenko, Batkivshchyna (Motherland) party
leader Yulia Timoshenko and respected human rights activist and
parliamentarian Stepan Khmara, as well as independent local newspapers have
all come out in strong support of continued RFE/RL Ukrainian broadcasting
nationwide.

Dine said the Dovira decision is reminiscent of the "bad old days" and "a
regrettable prelude to what we still hope will be a joyful celebration of
the 50th anniversary of our Ukrainian Service this summer". RFE/RL began
broadcasting to Ukraine on 16 August 1954 and is the leading international
broadcaster in the country. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER TEN
Current Events Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/events/index.htm
=========================================================
10. UKRAINIAN POLITICAL LEADER YUSHCHENKO DOES NOT
AGREE WITH THE USA'S DECISION ON THE 'VOICE OF AMERICA'

"OUR UKRAINE" Website, www.razom.org.ua
Kyiv, Ukraine, February 18, 2004

KYIV - Victor Yushchenko thinks that the cutting down of Ukrainian-language
programmes on the "Voice of America" is a very surprising and ill-considered
policy. The information was provided by the "Voice of America." [Yushchenko
is the leader of the "Our Ukraine" political faction. He is a former prime
minister and is a member of Ukraine's parliament.]

Yushchenko thinks that such decision can cause only surprise. "I think that
only the people who do not know what the "Voice of America" is and how
important the position of this radio station is for providing objective and
timely information to the people of Ukraine can make such decision," said
he.

He also added: "Such decision resonated through political and civil circles
of the country because it was made in the year when the issue of objective
and timely information in the year of presidential elections is becoming
more and more pressing. This is a wrong and mistaken decision if it was not
a special one."

Yushchenko also said: "taking the latest developments at Radio "Freedom,"
television station "Channel-5," and "Silski Visti" newspaper into
consideration, it becomes clear that this is how independent mass media are
being pressured and persecuted nowadays. That is why, the cutting down of
Ukrainian-language programmes on the "Voice of America" and the reduction
of financing seam extremely surprising and ill-considered."

It needs to be reminded that a decision had been made by the American side
to cut down the number of hours of the "Voice of America" on air in Ukraine
from two to one hour beginning March 1, 2004. (END) (ARTUIS)
LINK: http://www.razom.org.ua/viewnews/news/12064
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER ELEVEN
========================================================
11. LANGUAGE USAGE HAS CHANGED LITTLE SINCE 1991

News from "Inside Ukraine," Kyiv, Thursday, February 19, 2004

KYIV, Feb. 18 - Interview techniques used by sociological researchers
suggest that language usage has changed little since Ukrainian independence,
officials of Kyiv International Institute of Sociology said Wednesday.
Prof. Valery Khmelko, one of the chief research directors, said that an
informal interview technique had led him to the conclusion.

Since 1991, KIIS interviewers have begun interviews by asking the person
being interviewed which language they preferred to be interviewed in.
Researchers found that while persons being interviewed might state a
preference for one language at the beginning of the interview, almost
invariably at some point during the interview, the interviewee would begin
responding in the language in which they conducted their everyday business.

KIIS researchers have conducted 77 polls since 1991 involving about 177,000
respondents, 22,000 of them in the last year, in all regions of Ukraine.

According to poll results obtained by KIIS last year, 48 percent of
respondents employ the Russian language as their native tongue, whereas 40
percent use Ukrainian and the remaining 12 percent use "Surzhyk," an
informal language that is a mix of Russian and Ukrainian.

By recording the language that the interviewees showed preference for as
indicated by actual use in interviews, KIIS researchers have come to the
conclusion that actual language use patterns have changed little since
independence. (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER TWELVE
========================================================
12. FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN UKRAINE UP IN 2003

Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, 18 Feb 04

KIEV...Foreign companies invested 1,319.9m dollars in Ukraine last year
and withdrew 340.4m dollars, according to the Ukrainian State Statistics
Committee.

Foreign investment growth rate increased by 21.7 per cent in 2003 compared
to 2002, the committee reported.

The total amount of foreign investment reached 6,657.6m dollars by 1 January
2004, which made it 140 dollars per capita, the agency said. (END)
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 27: ARTICLE NUMBER THIRTEEN
========================================================
13. UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER SAYS EBRD HAS AGREED
TO FINANCE ODESSA-BRODY OIL PIPELINE TO POLAND

UNIAN news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 18 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 18, 2004

Kiev, 18 February: Ukraine has reached an agreement with the European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the funding for the
construction of the [Ukrainian] Odessa-Brody oil pipeline to Plock [Poland],
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych told a news conference in Kiev
today. [The new pipeline is to deliver Caspian oil to Europe.]

"A [Ukrainian] delegation came from London yesterday. There is an agreement
with the EBRD on financing the construction," the prime minister said. He
did not give any other details but noted that the talks are still
continuing.

Speaking about setting up a consortium to complete Odessa-Brody, Yanukovych
said that the decision on its participants will be approved by July this
year.

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said on 12 February that
representatives of Kazakh, Azeri, Ukrainian, Russian and EU governments
would hold a meeting to discuss the possibility of creating an international
consortium to complete the Odessa-Brody to Plock and its future use.

[The Ukrainian government decided on 4 February to pump Caspian oil from the
Black Sea port of Odessa to Brody in western Ukraine and then to Poland
despite Russia's pressure to reverse the pipeline and pump Russian oil to
Odessa and then through Bosporus to Europe.] (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
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