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Action Ukraine Report

"THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT"
In-Depth Ukrainian News, Analysis, and Commentary

"The Art of Ukrainian History, Culture, Arts, Business, Religion,
Sports, Government, and Politics, in Ukraine and Around the World"

"In June the Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU) observed an increase
in the number of cases of government pressure on the opposition designed
to impede their activities. Potential candidates did not enjoy equal access
to the media. Both state and privately-owned media are dominated by
information on Prime Minister and presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych.
The level of criminal interference in the pre-election process remains very
high, thus threatening free elections." [article seven]

"THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT" Year 04, Number 115
Action Ukraine Coalition (AUC), Washington, D.C.
Ukrainian Federation of America (UFA), Huntingdon Valley, PA
morganw@patriot.net, ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net (ARTUIS)
Washington, D.C.; Kyiv, Ukraine, WEDNESDAY, July 14 2004

-----INDEX OF ARTICLES-----
"Major International News Headlines and Articles"

1.STATEMENT BY MR. ALEXEY N. BORODAVKIN, PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, AT THE
MEETING OF THE OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL
"Declaration by the member States of the Commonwealth of
Independent States regarding the state of affairs within the OSCE"
[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]
Original Statement in Russian, Vienna, Austria, Thursday, 8 July 2004

2. U.S. DISAGREES WITH CIS STATEMENT ON OSCE'S WORK
[CIS statement on OSCE's work signed by Ukraine]
Bureau of International Information Programs
U.S.Department of State, Washington, D.C., Friday, July 9, 2004

3. UKRAINIAN MP SAYS CIS LEADERS' OSCE STATEMENT WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO A CLIMATE OF DISTRUST TOWARDS UKRAINE
Ukraine's presidential administration approved the negative CIS statement
Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian, 12 Jul 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jul 12, 2004

4.OSCE'S PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY CALLS ON UKRAINE TO
ENSURE FREE OPERATIONS OF OPPOSITION FORCES
By Anton Vodianyi, Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, 07/12/2004

5. VIKTOR MEDVEDCHUK POSITIVELY ASSESSES UKRAINIAN
MAYORAL ELECTION HELD IN MUKACHEVE IN APRIL
"The experience is positive, there is a need to spread it."
By Andrii Derkach, Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, 07/11/2004)

6.FREEDOM HOUSE CALLS ON KUCHMA TO BAN UKRAINE'S MASS
MEDIA SECRET INSTRUCTIONAL MEMORANDA (TEMNYKY)
By Anton Vodianyk, Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, July 8, 2004

7.LATEST REPORT ON PRE-ELECTION ENVIRONMENT IN UKRAINE
Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU), June 2004
Report on Pre-Election Environment in Ukraine
Committee of Voters Of Ukraine (CVU), Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 9, 2004

8. UKRAINIAN MP ASKS PRESIDENT TO LOOK INTO PRESSURE
ON MEDIA IN DONETSK AND DNIPROPETROVSK
Orders for blacking out 5 Kanal have come from regional leaders
TV 5 Kanal, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 13 Jul 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Tuesday, Jul 13, 2004

9. UKRAINE INVITES INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS
TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN OCTOBER
ICTV television, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 13 Jul 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jul 13, 2004

10. U.S. SAYS DOMESTIC OBSERVERS SHOULD BE PERMITTED
FOR UKRAINE'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
James Cox says OSCE/ODIHR could recruit and train monitors
U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C., July 8, 2004

11. JOURNALISTS MEDIA UNION DEMAND INVESTIGATION OF
WESTERN UKRAINIAN CAMERAMAN'S DEATH
Korrespondent.net web site, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 7 Jul 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jul 08, 2004

12. "IS A FREE ELECTION POSSIBLE IN UKRAINE?"
COMMENTARY by Taras Kuzio, Eurasia Daily Monitor
The Jamestown Foundation, Washington, D. C.
Volume 1, Issue 50, Tuesday, 13 July 2004
=========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER ONE
=========================================================
1. STATEMENT BY MR. ALEXEY N. BORODAVKIN, PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, AT THE
MEETING OF THE OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL

Declaration by the member States of the Commonwealth of
Independent States regarding the state of affairs within the OSCE
[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]

Statement by Mr. Alexey N. Borodavkin, Representative
Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the OSCE
Original Statement in Russian, Vienna, Austria, 8 July 2004

Mr. Chairman,

On 3 July 2004, during an informal meeting in Moscow, the
presidents of the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation,
Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Uzbekistan, and Ukraine signed a
Declaration by the member States of the Commonwealth of Independent
States regarding the state of affairs within the OSCE. Allow me to read
out the text of that Declaration:

"The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE), while occupying a key place in the European security architecture,
has been unable, in the present circumstances, to adapt itself to the
demands of a changing world and ensure an effective solution of the
problems of security and co-operation in the Euro-Atlantic area.

The Organization is failing to implement in an appropriate
manner what are fundamental documents, including the Helsinki Final Act
(1975), the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990) and the Charter for
European Security (1999). Frequently, there is a failure to observe such
fundamental Helsinki principles as non-interference in internal affairs and
respect for the sovereignty of States.

We believe it necessary to draw attention to a number of things
which, in our view, are hindering the development of constructive and
mutually beneficial co-operation within the OSCE.

There is a serious imbalance between the three security
dimensions - the politico-military, economic and environmental, and human
dimensions. An obvious shifting of priorities can be observed in favour of
the human dimension, something which appreciably restricts the OSCE's
capabilities for countering new threats and challenges.

Work in the human dimension boils down to monitoring the human
rights situation and the building of democratic institutions in the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the former Yugoslavia.
While we recognize the importance of this dimension of the OSCE's work,
we nevertheless take the view that this approach to developing the
Organization's activities is not in keeping with the fundamental principles
of the OSCE.

Giving selective, intensified attention to some countries while
ignoring the problems of other participating States represents a violation
of the OSCE's mandate and testifies to the application of double standards
and selective approaches within the Organization and an unwillingness to
take into account the realities and specific features of individual
countries.

These attitudes manifest themselves particularly in the work of
the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR),
which mainly deals with monitoring and assessments of election results in
participating States. This work of the ODIHR is frequently politicized and
does not take into account the specific features of individual countries.
For that reason, we believe it necessary to draw up standard objective
criteria for assessments by the ODIHR and OSCE missions of election
processes throughout the OSCE area.

The OSCE's field activities, on which the predominant part of
the Organization's budget is spent, are not particularly effective. It is a
matter for concern that the OSCE's field missions focus their activities not
on the basic provisions of their mandates, connected with helping and
assisting the authorities of the receiving State over the full range of work
covered by the Organization, but exclusively on monitoring human rights and
democratic institutions. There have been cases of unfounded criticism by the
heads of field missions of the domestic policies pursued by the governments
of host countries.

At the present time, the elaboration of new approaches to OSCE
activities is acquiring particular relevance.

Elimination of the imbalance between the three dimensions of the
Organization's work as soon as possible, by increasing the role of the
politico-military and economic and environmental components, is an item that
must be placed on the OSCE's agenda.

As OSCE participating States, the undersigned CIS member States
intend to make their future common approach to the Organization's work, as
regards its specialized institutions and field missions and also as regards
the monitoring of election processes, subject to the Organization's actual
ability to adapt itself properly to the new conditions and the degree to
which it is receptive to the concerns mentioned."

I should like to ask you, Mr. Chairman, to distribute the text
of this Declaration as an official OSCE document.

The Declaration is clear evidence of the fact that in recent
years the work of the Organization cannot be regarded as meeting the
interests and vital needs of that large group of countries, enjoying
considerable political weight, which makes up the Commonwealth of
Independent States. This document is a perfectly legitimate response to the
fact that, for quite some time now, there has been a failure to pay
attention to rightful, serious concerns connected with OSCE shortcomings,
problems which are regularly mentioned both by CIS member States and
by a number of other OSCE participating States in numerous forums within the
Organization. Questions concerning the need for a radical improvement in the
work of the OSCE have been raised on more than one occasion, moreover,
in bilateral consultations with the Chairmanship and with our Eurasian and
American partners.

The critical mood has become so heated, in fact, that the
unfavourable state of affairs within the OSCE was chosen as the subject of a
detailed examination by the heads of the CIS member States, as a result of
which the special Declaration that you have heard today was adopted.

This unprecedented collective démarche by the CIS heads of State
requires urgent large-scale measures to dramatically improve the substance
and form of the OSCE's work. The proposals by Russia and other CIS member
States for improving the OSCE's anti-terrorist work, strengthening
politico-military security, furthering economic development and protecting
the environment - as well as with regard to the humanitarian track and the
general reform of the Organization - are well known. They require the most
thorough attention and serious discussion within the OSCE if we are to
achieve durable solutions.

We trust that the Declaration by the CIS member States regarding
the state of affairs within the OSCE will be carefully studied and
considered by our partners, the Chairmanship and the senior officials of the
Organization's Secretariat and institutions. Appropriate joint, practical
efforts to reform the work of the OSCE must be deferred no longer. We are
prepared to co-operate constructively with all OSCE participating States on
the basis of equal rights and mutual consideration of each other's positions
in the interests of turning the OSCE into a modern and effective
international organization genuinely able to help strengthen security and
develop co-operation in the region, and to propose effective collective
responses to the threats and challenges of the twenty-first century. (END)
=========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER TWO
=========================================================
2. U.S. DISAGREES WITH CIS STATEMENT ON OSCE'S WORK
[CIS statement on OSCE's work signed by Ukraine]

Bureau of International Information Programs
U.S.Department of State, Washington, D.C., Friday, July 9, 2004

WASHINGTON - The United States "respectfully disagrees with the
characterizations of OSCE work" in a statement presented to the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe July 8 by nine
of the 12 members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS),
said U.S. diplomat James Cox.

"Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the
rule of law is at the core of the OSCE's comprehensive concept of security,"
Cox said in remarks to the OSCE Permanent Council.

He added that the erosion of such activities "could have negative
consequences" for the organization's work on political-military questions,
such as the destruction of excess stockpiles of ammunition and weapons.

The CIS statement was presented to the council by the Russian delegation
and was endorsed by the Russian Federation as well as Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Moldova gave conditional approval to the statement. CIS members
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkmenistan did not sign it. Following is the
text of Cox's statement:

United States Mission to the OSCE
Vienna, Austria (http://osce.usmission.gov)

STATEMENT ON CIS SUMMIT DECLARATION ON THE OSCE
As delivered by U.S. Acting Deputy Representative James Cox
to the Permanent Council; July 8, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We appreciate the information provided to us by the distinguished Russian
ambassador on behalf of the CIS. However, let me make it perfectly clear
-- the United States respectfully disagrees with the characterizations of
OSCE work contained in that document.

Over the past few years, CIS states themselves have contributed to the
expansion of OSCE work in the pol-mil [political-military] dimension. The
vast majority of OSCE states has made it clear that greater attention to
this important component of OSCE's contribution to Euro-Atlantic and
Eurasian security does not and must not detract from the unique and vital
role that the OSCE, through its field missions and ODIHR [Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights], play in promoting
democratization and respect for human rights.

As heads of state and government concluded at the Istanbul Summit in 1999,
and as we all agreed last year in the OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to
Security and Stability in the 21st Century, negotiations on which CIS
states took an active part, and I quote: "Respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law is at the core of the
OSCE's comprehensive concept of security."

Furthermore, in those documents participating States declared, and again I
quote: "Field operations and the Secretariat are important instruments in
assisting all participating States to implement their commitments,
including respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law." The
United States stands firmly and squarely behind these statements made by
the highest political levels of our governments.

It is thus unfortunate that some OSCE states have expressed contrary views
about the OSCE, its institutions and its field missions at a time when the
field missions may be asked to undertake certain pol-mil dimension
projects, including channeling voluntary assistance to states to assist
them with the destruction of excess stockpiles of ammunition and small
arms and light weapons (SA/LW).

The United States believes that erosion of the activities of the missions
in key areas of democratization and promoting human rights also could have
negative consequences for the missions' ability to also carry out work on
these important pol-mil questions.

We believe that the review now underway of OSCE field operations and of
the work of the organization as a whole in working groups chaired by the
Canadian and Romanian ambassadors, respectively, should be the vehicles
for debate as to if, and how, the OSCE might be further strengthened so as
to maintain its comparative advantages in promoting stability and security
within and among participating States.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER THREE
========================================================
3. UKRAINIAN MP SAYS CIS LEADERS' OSCE STATEMENT WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO A CLIMATE OF DISTRUST TOWARDS UKRAINE
Ukraine's presidential administration approved the negative CIS statement

Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 12 Jul 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Monday, Jul 12, 2004

KIEV- Ihor Ostash, an MP from the [centre-right opposition] Our Ukraine
faction in parliament and a deputy president of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe [OSCE], has said
that it is too early to speak of the negative consequences for Ukraine of
the CIS countries' statement about reform of the OSCE, but he believes that
it may be seen as an attempt to provide "prior justification" for the
results of upcoming elections in Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Ostash said this at a press conference today devoted to the results of his
work at the OSCE.

[The statement criticizing "double standards" in the OSCE's activity and
calling for a fundamental reform of the organization was published last week
and was signed by Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Armenia,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - see Zerkalo Nedeli, Kiev, in Russian
10 Jul 04.]

Ostash said that the OSCE already plans to send observers to elections in a
number of countries - in particular, parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan
on 19 September, in Belarus on 17 October, and in Kosovo on 23 October,
and the presidential election in Ukraine on 31 October. "The reason for this
statement is that two parallel foreign ministries operate in Ukraine. On the
one hand, there is the presidential administration, and on the other, the
Foreign Ministry," he said.

He said that the statement came as a surprise for the Foreign Ministry and
the Ukrainian envoy to the OSCE. "You can imagine what is the level of this
statement," Ostash said. "It is a pity that the actions of the various
branches of power are not coordinated," he added.

He said that two Ukrainian representatives spoke at the [13th annual]
session of the Parliamentary Assembly in Edinburgh [on 5-9 July] - Ostash
and a member of the [pro-presidential] parliamentary majority. Both
Ukrainian representatives were negative about the statement.

"This document effectively rules out coordination of activity within the
GUAM framework," he said, adding that the statement "determines a unified
line within the CIS framework". "This document deals a serious blow to the
existence of a very important organization - GUAM," he said. [GUAM is a
regional grouping that includes Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova.]

He said that Ukraine was the only member of the organization that signed the
document in full. The others supported it with reservations. [Moldovan
President Vladimir Voronin reportedly said that the OSCE should work more
effectively to settle territorial conflicts.]

Answering a question from Interfax-Ukraine about the OSCE reaction to the
statement and the possible consequences for Ukraine of its publication,
Ostash said that "the document is extremely undesirable for us" given the
fruitful cooperation with the OSCE in the run-up to the presidential
election. "It will not enhance our relations," he said, adding that the
document could contribute to "a definite climate of distrust" towards
Ukraine.

However, Ostash said that it is early to speak of negative consequences for
Ukraine. Ostash said that it is a definite signal to other countries of the
serious situation in the countries that supported the statement. He said
that the document may be seen as "an attempt to provide prior justification
for the results of elections in these countries".

"We will do everything we can to distance ourselves as far as possible from
the position of the president of Ukraine," Ostash said, adding that Leonid
Kuchma's position is not supported by the parliament's position.

He said the Ukrainian parliament would discuss the document at the beginning
of its next session. Ostash said that the statement of the group of CIS
countries about reforming the OSCE is "a challenge". "This will have
definite political consequences," he said. (END) (ARTUIS)
=======================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR
=======================================================
4. OSCE'S PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY CALLS ON UKRAINE TO
ENSURE FREE OPERATIONS OF OPPOSITION FORCES

By Anton Vodianyi, Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, 07/12/2004

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe has called on the Ukrainian authorities to ensure that opposition
political forces have the opportunity to engage freely in the political
process in the country. This call was made in the Edinburgh Declaration of
the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, a text of which Ukrainian News
obtained.

In particular, the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE calls on the Ukrainian
authorities to ensure that opposition political forces are able to engage in
the political process without fear of intimidation or persecution and that
the fundamental freedoms of assembly and association are not limited.

"The Edinburgh Declaration calls on the Ukrainian authorities to ensure that
opposition political forces have the opportunity to engage in the political
process without fear of intimidation or persecution and that the fundamental
freedoms of assembly and association are not limited in any way," the
document states. Moreover, the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE plans
to consider an additional, separate draft resolution on Ukraine in July.

In addition to the call made in the Edinburgh Declaration, the Parliamentary
Assembly also adopted a draft resolution on Ukraine that, among other
things, calls on the Ukrainian authorities to cease harassment of
opposition-oriented media outlets and to ensure equal access of all
political forces involved in the forthcoming presidential elections to the
State-run media; issue timely invitations to election observers from the
OSCE/ODIHR, as well as the parliamentary assemblies of the OSCE and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European
Parliament, and to allow for the maximum possible presence of long-term
observers from the OSCE; ensure proper investigation of violations of
electoral legislation during the local elections in Mukacheve (Zakarpattia
region) and to ensure the punishment of those guilty in accordance with
Ukrainian legislation.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, representatives of the OSCE criticized
the provisions of the Ukrainian law "On Election of the President of
Ukraine" in June for banning representatives of public organizations from
observing presidential elections at polling stations.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also expressed
concern over the conduct of the Mukacheve mayoral elections on April 18.
This year's presidential elections are scheduled for October 31. (END)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTE: After reading the OSCE statement above about Ukraine
one can readily understand why Ukraine's presidential administration was
so eager to join Russia and other former Soviet states in drafting and
signing a major anti-OSCE statement last week. (see article one above)
=========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER FIVE
Send Us Names for the Distribution List of The Action Ukraine Report
=========================================================
5. VIKTOR MEDVEDCHUK POSITIVELY ASSESSES UKRAINIAN
MAYORAL ELECTION HELD IN MUKACHEVE IN APRIL
"The experience is positive, there is a need to spread it."

By Andrii Derkach, Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, 07/11/2004)

KHARKIV - The head of the Administration of the President and leader of the
Social Democratic Party (united), Viktor Medvedchuk, has positively assessed
the experience of holding the elections for a city mayor of Mukacheve in
April of this year.

Medvedchuk made the comment during the address of the representative of the
Mukacheve organization of the SDPU(u) at the 18th congress of the party on
Saturday. "The experience is positive, there is a need to spread it," said
Medvedchuk.

In their address at the party's congress, the representative of the
Mukacheve branch organization of the SDPU(u) stated the readiness of members
of the Zakarpattia branch organization of the SDPU(u) to in future use the
experience of the conduct of the Mukacheve mayoral elections. "We will help
provide it, if there will be a need somewhere in other regions," she said.

As Ukrainian News reported previously, the 18th congress of the SDPU(u) took
place on Saturday in Kharkiv. On April 18, election for a city mayor was
held in Mukacheve. The municipal election commission of Mukacheve declared
Ernest Nuser, the deputy chairman of the Zakarpattia regional council, as
the winner of the election.

On May 12, Rada adopted a resolution, in which it requested President Leonid
Kuchma to assess the influence of officials of the Presidential
Administration on the election results, and it recommended to Kuchma to
dismiss Ivan Rizak as chairman of the Zakarpattia regional state
administration, whereas Rada recommended to Internal Affairs Minister Mykola
Bilokon to dismiss Vasyl Vartsaba as police chief of the Zakarpattia region
and his deputy Viktor Rusyn, and Rada recommended to the General
Prosecutor's Office to protest the outcome of the Mukacheve mayoral
elections.

President Kuchma ordered the General Prosecutor's Office and the Security
Service of Ukraine to conduct an investigation into the Mukacheve mayoral
elections and he stated his interest in ensuring that this investigation was
conducted in an objective manner.

In late May, Nuser resigned from the post of Mukacheve city mayor,
explaining his decision by threats that were made against his family. (END)
=========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER SIX
=========================================================
6. FREEDOM HOUSE CALLS ON KUCHMA TO BAN UKRAINE'S MASS
MEDIA SECRET INSTRUCTIONAL MEMORANDA (TEMNYKY)

By Anton Vodianyk, Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, July 8, 2004

KYIV - Freedom House, an American public organization that advocates
democracy and freedom, has called on President Leonid Kuchma to ban secret
instructional memoranda (or temnyky) for the mass media. Freedom House
made the call in a statement, a text of which Ukrainian News obtained.

"Immediately cease issuing and distributing "temnyky" (theme directives that
instruct editors on news coverage) and end the intimidation of top-level
editors at news media companies," the statement said. Freedom House says
that its monitoring operations revealed that the Ukrainian authorities have
stepped up their harassment and intimidation of independent and opposition
media since January.

According to the Freedom House's report, the administration of President
Leonid Kuchma directly distorts news and skews coverage of political
affairs. "...President Leonid Kuchma's administration directly distorts news
and skews coverage of political affairs," the statement said. According to
Freedom House's Executive Director Jennifer Windsor, the situation has only
worsened as Election Day approaches.

According to Freedom House, the presidential administration has also issued
a series of decrees forbidding any reporting of negative statements about
Ukraine by international organizations or governments. Freedom House also
called on Kuchma to rigorously investigate murders, attacks, and threats --
physical and financial -- against journalists. The organization also made
several recommendations.

Among other things, it recommends that the Central Electoral Commission
ensure equal access of leading candidates to the airwaves on state-owned
television and radio broadcasts.

It also recommends that Ukrainian civic groups organize meetings with top
editors and media owners to demand fair and balanced coverage of all
political parties and presidential candidates by Ukraine's broadcast, print,
and online media companies. It recommends that news media organizations
publish and analyze polling data released by independent and reputable
Ukrainian polling organizations and international monitoring organizations
that are closely monitoring the election.

Freedom House also recommends that media organizations adopt a public
declaration and code of conduct to avoid last-minute or election-eve
publication or broadcast of biased, untruthful, or libelous stories to
defame a candidate or party. It recommends that foreign governments urge
Ukraine's government and administrators to uphold freedom of speech issues
and freedom of information rights, and in particular to legally enforce
domestic laws already protecting these freedoms in Ukraine.

It also recommends that foreign governments ensure that international
election monitoring begins six months before the vote, with extensive and
systematic monitoring of news media bias and equal access. As Ukrainian
News earlier reported, Freedom House recently noted deterioration of the
situation involving democracy in Ukraine in 2004. (END)(ARTUIS)
=========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER SEVEN
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=========================================================
7. LATEST REPORT ON PRE-ELECTION ENVIRONMENT IN UKRAINE
Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU), June 2004

In June the Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU) observed an increase
in the number of cases of government pressure on the opposition designed
to impede their activities. Potential candidates did not enjoy equal access
to the media. Both state and privately-owned media are dominated by
information on Prime Minister and presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych.
The level of criminal interference in the pre-election process remains very
high, thus threatening free elections.

Report on Pre-Election Environment in Ukraine
Committee of Voters Of Ukraine (CVU), Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 9, 2004

The Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU) is a national, non-governmental
organization that has been monitoring election campaigns in Ukraine for over
ten years. CVU observes the degree to which election processes conform
with national legislation and international democratic standards.

Presidential elections in Ukraine are scheduled for October 31st, 2004. In
June, CVU monitored the electoral environment in advance of the official
start of the campaign on July 4. We observed the activities of national and
local governments, political parties, possible candidates' headquarters and
the mass media. CVU representatives are present in all 27 administrative
regions of Ukraine.

CVU also monitored parliamentary by-elections Poltava on June 20. A
detailed report on this election as well as more information on CVU can
be found on our web-site: www.cvu.org.ua.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

There was no improvement in the political environment in June compared to
April and May. Instead, CVU observed an increase in the number of cases
of government pressure on the opposition designed to impede their
activities.

Potential candidates did not enjoy equal access to the media. Both state
and privately-owned media are dominated by information on Prime Minister
and presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych. The level of criminal
interference in the pre-election process remains very high, thus threatening
free elections.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. State officials should refuse to campaign for political candidates
and should refrain from using their power and resources for the benefit of
any candidate. Officials not prepared to do this should take a leave of
absence from their positions.
2. The mass media should provide balanced and objective political
coverage.
3. Police and other law-enforcement authorities should urgently
investigate all reports of violence. They should not interfere in the
election campaign.

MAJOR FINDINGS

GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN ELECTION CAMPAIGN
PREPARATIONS

Ukraine's election law prohibits state officials from supporting any
candidate for office; however, these restrictions come into force only with
the beginning of the official election campaign, on July 4. Nonetheless,
CVU noted instances of state officials working to obstruct opposition and
independent media activity. A number of executive and local government
officials have also expressed public support for the election of Prime
Minister Yanukovych. These include: Vadim Lyoshenko, head of the
Cherkassy state administration; Yevhen Kartashov, mayor of Zaporizhzhya;
and Roman Vasylyshyn, head of Rivne state council.

Donetsk: "Ostrov" ("The Island"), the only opposition newspaper in Donetsk,
was unable to find a printer. The "Donbas" print shop claimed its equipment
was "overloaded" and all other printers refused the paper. "Ostrov" was
also the only local newspaper to have its printing fees increased by 63%.
Donetsk: Local cable television providers stopped broadcasting the only
opposition-run television station "Channel 5" without warning, even though
the station had long-term contracts with the cable companies.
Zaporizhzhya: Highway police prevented a busload of activists from "Our
Ukraine" from attending a training on the grounds that the bus might have a
bomb on board.
Zaporizhzhya: A truck carrying printed materials in support of the candidacy
of "Our Ukraine" leader Viktor Yushchenko was stopped by police who
claimed the driver lacked a necessary invoice. The impounded leaflets were
released only after three interventions by "Our Ukraine" members of
parliament.
Kirovograd: The main Kirovograd city square was closed for urgent repairs on
a public holiday, June 28. Viktor Yushchenko had been scheduled to hold a
public rally in the square later in the day.
Kirovograd: An "Our Ukraine" councillor and Yushchenko campaign worker,
V. Hromovyy, was inexplicably fired from his job as the director of a
state-run gymnasium even though he had a good record of employment.
Kherson: On June 20, the Kherson airport denied landing rights, for
"technical reasons", to a plane carrying an "Our Ukraine" delegation that
included Viktor Yushchenko. Nearby Mikolaiv airport had the same
"technical" problems and the plane was forced to travel to Odessa.
Volyn: Leonid Biruk, member of the Kovel rayon council and a local leader
of the Ukrainian People's Party, was prevented by the police from traveling
to a remote village to meet with voters. Biruk was detained on the grounds
that his private car had been "stolen". Later, the car was returned and the
police admitted that the accusation against Leonid Biruk was unfounded.
Chernivtsi: Police arrested two men on June 21 distributing leaflets
announcing a public meeting with MP O. Tiahnybok on the grounds that
they could only do so in areas "sanctioned by the mayor".

CRIMINAL VIOLENCE AGAINST POLITICAL ACTIVISTS
AND THE MEDIA

Violent attacks against political party activists and journalists continued
during the month of June. Unfortunately, law-enforcement bodies failed to
investigate most reports of violence.

Donetsk: On June 20, a meeting of "Our Ukraine" with voters in the town of
Zugress was violently disrupted by 50 hooligans who arrived in buses. The
camera of a reporter for the newspaper "Ostrov" ("The Island") was taken
away and damaged.
Dnipropetrovsk: Ivan Markevych, an "Our Ukraine" activist was attacked
near his home on June 25. His attackers beat Markevych and took some
party documents but left both his cash and cell phone. Markevych had been
planning some pro-Yushchenko youth events in the area.
Lviv: On June 10, five men beat and robbed "Our Ukraine" state council
member Vassyl Pazyniak.
Lviv: A print shop in Peremyshliany that published the opposition political
magazine "Free Thought" was set on fire on June 25.
Kherson: City council deputy Rymma Tsygulska was attacked near her home
on June 19. Tsygulska, who leads a group collecting signatures to recall
Kherson's mayor, suffered a concussion and broken leg. The attacker stole
Tsygulska's signature lists.
Chernihiv: On June 8, a man attacked Oleksiy Piy, chair of the "Our Ukraine"
youth coalition, while he was distributing the newspaper "Molody Chas"
("Young time") and other political material.
Kherson: Police beat Maksym Korotchuk, a 20-year old "Our Ukraine"
activist, while he was distributing campaign materials. The officers took
Korotchuk's leaflets.

SKEWED POLITICAL COVERAGE IN NATIONAL
AND REGIONAL MEDIA

News reports about Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich dominated the
national and regional media in June. The large majority of these reports
are positive, focusing on the achievements of the government and the
personal strengths of the Prime Minister or refuting rumors that he was
convicted of violent crimes in early adulthood. Often, similar articles
appear in different regional media, suggesting that they are centrally
prepared and then distributed. In CVU's opinion, the media coverage
of Yanukovich is not consistent with balanced and objective political
reporting.

Viktor Yushchenko has the second highest presence in the media, although
most articles on him are negative. Socialist leader Oleksandar Moroz was
more prominent in the press in June than had been.

POLITICAL PARTIES ARE ORGANIZING,
SOME INSTANCES OF ANONYMOUS SLANDER

Previous elections in Ukraine have failed to live up to their democratic
potential in part because of the weaknesses of political parties and
campaigns. Parties have to make more effort to reach out to voters and,
under the new election law, to provide well-trained people to staff election
commissions and to monitor the voting process.

The campaigns of Viktor Yushchenko (Our Ukraine), Viktor Yanukovich
(Party of Regions), Oleksandar Moroz (Socialist Party) and Petro Symonenko
(Communist Party) were active in June, largely in establishing headquarters.

Yushchenko's campaign is so far the only one to have made efforts to select
and train future election commissioners. Yushchenko supporters also
essentially began campaigning, mostly by distributing free newspapers and
messages from the candidate.

CVU also observed some instances of dirty campaigning. Activists of the
Ukrainian People's Party have been distributing leaflets with the question
"Who stole 10 billion hryvnias from the budget?" printed above pictures of
Leonid Kuchma, Victor Medvedchuk and Victor Yanukovych. In parts of
eastern Ukraine, a letter has appeared bearing the name of Oleksandar Moroz
that calls Yushchenko a "betrayer". The letter seems to have nothing to do
with Moroz nor his party.

In Kyiv, a small column of men wearing Nazi uniforms and carrying
nationalist flags marched down the street declaring their support for
Yushchenko and saying that they will resort to violence should he lose the
election. CVU believes this is a clear attempt to discredit Yushchenko.
Nonetheless, the march was widely covered on the "Inter" and "1+1"
television stations. (END) (ARTUIS)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE OF VOTERS OF UKRAINE (CVU)
01135, Kyiv-135, a/c 5, phone/fax: (044) 490-61-34
E- mail: cvu@cvu.kiev.ua
========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER EIGHT
========================================================
8. UKRAINIAN MP ASKS PRESIDENT TO LOOK INTO PRESSURE
ON MEDIA IN DONETSK AND DNIPROPETROVSK
Orders for blacking out 5 Kanal have come from regional leaders

TV 5 Kanal, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 13 Jul 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Tuesday, Jul 13, 2004

KIEV -The work of the media is being obstructed in Dnipropetrovsk and
Donetsk regions, and this is being done by regional leaders, MP Mykola
Tomenko [of the centre-right opposition Our Ukraine bloc] has said. He
quoted media reports which say that orders for blacking out 5 Kanal have
come from regional leaders. Tomenko has asked the guarantor of the
constitution, President Leonid Kuchma, to study the situation.

In addition, there is a problem with the publication of the
[opposition-leaning] Donetsk newspaper Ostrov. There have been systemic
blackouts of 5 Kanal in cable networks in Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk
regions.

[5 Kanal reported that it was being blacked out in Donetsk Region at the end
of June - see TV 5 Kanal, Kiev, in Ukrainian 1800 gmt 22 Jun 04. Ostrov's
editor reported in June that he was unable to find a printer willing to
print the paper - see UNIAN news agency, Kiev, in Ukrainian 1350 gmt 18
Jun 04.] (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER NINE
========================================================
9. UKRAINE INVITES INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS
TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN OCTOBER

ICTV television, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 13 Jul 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jul 13, 2004

KIEV - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko has officially
invited foreign observers to the Ukrainian presidential election, which will
be held on 31 October, deputy head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's press
service, Dmytro Svystkov, said.

The Foreign Ministry sent letters to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the
secretary general of the Council of Europe, the OSCE secretary-general and
the director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights.

Kostyantyn Hryshchenko confirmed that the Ukrainian authorities are ready to
hold a transparent and honest election. (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER TEN
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=========================================================
10. U.S. SAYS DOMESTIC OBSERVERS SHOULD BE PERMITTED
FOR UKRAINE'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
James Cox says OSCE/ODIHR could recruit and train monitors

U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C., July 8, 2004

WASHINGTON - The United States believes there will not be enough
international observers to effectively monitor Ukraine's presidential
election in October, and says the government should allow non-partisan
domestic observers to help with the process.

"This election is and must belong to Ukrainians. It is their future which is
being decided, and it is only right that they be involved on election day
itself," U.S. diplomat James Cox told the OSCE Permanent Council in
Vienna, Austria, July 8.

Cox suggested that Ukrainian election observers could be recruited and
trained by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(ODIHR). Following is his statement:

United States Mission to the OSCE
Vienna, Austria, http://osce.usmission.gov

STATEMENT ON DOMESTIC ELECTION OBSERVERS IN UKRAINE

As delivered by Acting Deputy Representative James Cox to the Permanent
Council, July 8, 2004

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

In light of the ODIHR Needs Assessment Report, the United States firmly
believes that the government of the Ukraine should allow for the presence of
non-partisan domestic election observers in the Ukrainian Presidential
elections being held this October.

We salute the tremendous amount of work undertaken by ODHIR to mobilize
international observers for the Ukrainian election, yet we are convinced
that there will not be enough foreign monitors to be effective without
domestic support.

ODIHR is compiling an international force of 50 or so long term monitors and
600 short term monitors. Roughly 100 parliamentarians and other diplomatic
OSCE personnel in Kiev could be recruited for the observation mission.

However, there will be over 30,000 voting sites throughout the Ukraine. In
spite of the expected presence of many foreign observers, this election is
and must belong to Ukrainians. It is their future which is being decided,
and it is only right that they be involved on election day itself.

Furthermore, we are concerned with Ukrainian proposals to designate
domestic observers as "journalists." We are concerned the potential is high
for persons with the status of "journalists" rather than that of "official
observer" that they will encounter difficulties in actually monitoring on
election day, problems which we would regard extremely negatively.

We therefore feel that recruitment and training of a domestic observation
force soon to work with ODIHR's international team would be in Ukraine's
best interest, and we look forward to hearing from Ukraine in the near
future concerning steps to permit such work to begin.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=J
uly&x=200407081355361ACnosnhoJ0.7765881&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html
=========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER ELEVEN
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=========================================================
11. JOURNALISTS MEDIA UNION DEMAND INVESTIGATION OF
WESTERN UKRAINIAN CAMERAMAN'S DEATH

Korrespondent.net web site, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 7 Jul 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jul 08, 2004

KIEV - The Uzhhorod media union has asked the head of the Interior
Ministry's Transcarpathian directorate, Vasyl Vartsaba, and the regional
prosecutor, Volodymyr Lemak, to investigate the death of Ishtvan Kotsanyk,
a cameraman from the Mukacheve TV channel M-Studio.

The head of the Uzhhorod media union, Vasyl Bedzyr, said that Kotsanyk was
found unconscious with numerous injuries in a hallway of the building No 33
in Lva Tolstogo street on 23 June.

Kotsanyk underwent complicated head surgery in the regional neurosurgical
hospital but remained in a coma and died nine days later. "It is still
unclear under which circumstances Kotsanyk sustained his injuries. His
father had asked the law-enforcement agencies for clarification but did not
get a clear answer," Bedzyr said. He added that the media union wants to
find out whether Kotsanyk was attacked and whether the attack was related to
his professional activities.

Let us recall that in early March the Uzhhorod tax police filed a suit with
the Transcarpathian economic court to cancel the agreement between the
Transcarpathian regional broadcasting centre and the M-Studio channel on
providing services. The tax police said that the agreement was signed when
the property of the broadcasting centre was used as tax collateral.

On 13 March, in accordance with the ruling of the economic court, the
property of the broadcasting centre was seized and the transmitters were
switched off.

Among the founders of M-Studio is the Barva concern, which is linked to MP
Viktor Baloha, the leader of the regional branch of the opposition bloc Our
Ukraine. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 115: ARTICLE NUMBER TWELVE
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12. "IS A FREE ELECTION POSSIBLE IN UKRAINE?"

COMMENTARY by Taras Kuzio, Eurasia Daily Monitor
The Jamestown Foundation, Washington, D. C.
Volume 1, Issue 50, Tuesday, 13 July 2004

The answer to this question, based on recent and ongoing developments in
Ukraine, is "no." Opinion polls taken in Ukraine have consistently shown
that two-thirds to three-quarters of Ukrainians do not believe this year's
elections will be free and fair. Even President Leonid Kuchma has predicted
that the elections will be the dirtiest in Ukraine's history.

Despite the dirty tricks in play, Kuchma has repeatedly promised to
guarantee free elections. Speaking at last week's EU-Ukraine summit, he
promised that the authorities, "will do everything they can to ensure the
election is conducted in the most transparent and civilized way possible, in
line with current Ukrainian legislation and recognized democratic standards"
(Interfax-Ukraine, July 8). Unfortunately for Kuchma, no Western government
or international organization accepts his words at their face value. Not
surprisingly, therefore, Kuchma remains concerned at how the West will
regard the elections.

On the very same day that he made his pledge to uphold free elections,
Kuchma undermined it. Nine members of the Commonwealth of Independent
States, led by Kuchma as the head of the CIS Council of Heads of State,
issued a statement criticizing the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe for interfering in their internal affairs and thus not respecting
their national sovereignty (Reuters, July 8). Ukraine opted to back this
statement drawn up by Russia rather than join pro-Western Georgia and
Azerbaijan in abstaining.

Both Anatoly Hrytsenko, head of challenger Viktor Yushchenko's
information-analytical department in his election headquarters, and the U.S.
Ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst, likened the statement to a return to
Soviet rhetoric (Ukrayinska Pravda, July 9 and 12). Hrytsenko branded
Kuchma's support for the CIS statement as an attempt to undermine the
relevance of OSCE election observers.

Ukraine was not in a position to turn down the offer of OSCE observers. At
the same time, Kuchma is concerned that the OSCE, other international
organizations, and the United States may not recognize the election outcome.
Speaking at last week's EU-Ukraine summit, Kuchma said, "There seems to
be an opinion among some in the West, as there is among many politicians in
Ukraine, that if a representative of the opposition does not win, then these
will not have been fair elections" (Ukrayinska Pravda, July 8).

Kuchma and his CIS allies prefer the monitoring style of the CIS
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (CIS IPA), whose observers always declare
CIS elections as having been held in a free and fair manner. During the 2002
Ukrainian elections, the OSCE made the unusual decision to work together
with CIS IPA observers on election day.

Kuchma's attempts to downplay the role of the OSCE have produced a
backlash. Meeting in Edinburgh last week, the Parliamentary Assembly of the
OSCE issued a resolution calling upon Ukraine to hold free elections. The
U.S. delegation also raised the issue of the OSCE fielding large numbers of
Ukrainian observers in addition to the 50 OSCE long-term and 600
short-term observers.

It is certainly the case that Western governments and international
organizations (as well as most Ukrainians) believe in two scenarios. First,
if a level playing field is organized in the manner in which they understand
this to be (and not in Kuchma's warped understanding of that term) then it
is difficult to see how the pro-Kuchma candidate (Prime Minister Viktor
Yanukovych) could win. Yanukovych consistently polls lower than
Yushchenko, and the gap could be only overcome by "dirty technology
or outright falsification during the counting" (Ukrayina Moloda, July 3).
Therefore, when one U.S. State Department official was asked, "Could
Yanukovych win in a free election?" he replied, "We'll never know."

Second, a breakthrough in Ukraine's foreign relations will be possible only
if Yushchenko wins. This view is shared by the U.S. State Department, the
European Parliament, and many non-governmental bodies, such as the
Economist Intelligence Unit (Ukrayinska Pravda, June 8 and July 7). A
Yanukovych victory would merely preserve the status quo and continue
the high-level deception that has become the hallmark of Kuchma's
presidency.

Currently, opposition candidates have no access to electronic media outlets,
which only plug Yanukovych and blacken the reputation of his opponents.
Yushchenko has signed a Declaration on Honest Elections, but Prime Minister
Yanukovych has thus far not signed it. Socialist candidate Oleksandr Moroz
and the youth group PORA! (modeled on Serbia's OTPOR) have called for
joint efforts by the opposition to prevent what will likely be the dirtiest
election in Ukraine's history since 1992 (Ukrayina Moloda, July 9;
Ukrayinska Pravda, July 12).

According to Oleksandr Turchynov, a leading member of the Yulia
Tymoshenko bloc allied to Yushchenko, a special group inside the
Presidential Administration, headed by Viktor Medvedchuk, is coordinating
"black operations" against the opposition (Interfax-Ukraine, July 8). The
secret group includes members of the Prosecutor's Office, Interior Ministry,
and Security Service.

Secret black operations by Russian "political technologists" are also being
coordinated by Medvedchuk, according to Our Ukraine deputy Mykola
Tomenko (Ukrayinska Pravda, July 3). Kuchma is simply not in a position
to guarantee free elections if the head of his own staff is directly
involved in these shenanigans.

According to Turchynov, after the elections are over and the polling
stations are closed, fake ballots for Yanukovych will replace those of
Yushchenko. Plans call for Election Commission protocols to be prepared in
advance with genuine signatures and stamps, but the signatures of opposition
members of the Election Commission will be forged. The protocols will be
submitted to the Central Election Commission who will then announce that
Prime Minister Yanukovych has won the election.

Similar techniques were first tried in the 2002 elections. Secret
instructions from the Presidential Administration that outlined plans for
election fraud were leaked to the OSCE, which then chose to ignore them.

The Presidential Administration was then headed by the current parliamentary
speaker, Volodymyr Lytvyn, who has, ironically, warned against using these
same techniques in the upcoming presidential elections (Ukrayinska Pravda,
July 6 and 8). The People's Agrarian Party, which Lytvyn leads, voted to
back Prime Minister Yanukovych, whose campaign will gain from the black
operations that Lytvyn allegedly condemns.

Medvedchuk tested these black operations again in the April 2004 mayoral
elections in Trans-Carpathia's Mukachiv. Although these tactics were
severely condemned by the Ukrainian parliament and by Western governments
and organizations, nobody has been punished.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, head of Yushchenko's campaign, warned that Mukachiv
is only the beginning. "I am personally convinced that we will have
difficult and dirty elections. There will be attempts at repeating and
cloning the Mukachiv experience" (Ukrayinska Pravda, July 6). At a round
table discussing the elections, Ukraine's leading political scientists
agreed with Zinchenko (www.kandydat.com.ua)

or the last six months, Western governments, the European Union, NATO, the
Council of Europe, and the OSCE have spoken with one voice on the subject of
Ukraine. All of them have demanded that President Leonid Kuchma guarantee
free and fair elections. If the election campaign continues in the manner it
has until now, the OSCE and Council of Europe cannot give the outcome any
international legitimacy. (www.jamestown.org) (END) (ARTUIS)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taras Kuzio is visiting professor at the Elliott School of International
Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
=========================================================
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