"UKRAINE REPORT" 2004
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" 2004, Number 16
U.S.-UKRAINE FOUNDATION (USUF)
www.ArtUkraine.com Information Service (ARTUIS)
morganw@patriot.net, ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net
Kyiv, Ukraine and Washington, D.C., Friday, January 30, 2004

INDEX OF ARTICLES

1. COUNCIL OF EUROPE BODY WARNS UKRAINE ABOUT
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION IN A WAY WHICH IS NOT
ENVISAGED BY THE LAW OR BY UNCONSTITUTIONAL MEANS
UNIAN news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

2. POLITICAL CRISIS IN UKRAINE
Resolution 1364 (2004)[1], Provisional Edition [Adopted]
Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly
Strasbourg, Germany, January 29, 2004

3. EU CONCERNED OVER EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE
UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT RELATED TO THE CONSTITUTION
Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

4. UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HRYSHCHENKO
DEFENDS PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
Interfax news agency, Moscow, Russia, in English, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

5. COURT IN UKRAINE SHUTS DOWN LARGEST OPPOSITION
NEWSPAPER SILSKI VISTI (COUNTRY NEWS)
www.Glavred.net, Chief Editor, Kyiv, Ukraine, January 29, 2004

6.UKRAINIAN OPPOSITION DECRIES CLOSURE OF NEWSPAPER
Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Russian, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

7. EMBATTLED UKRAINIAN DAILY, SILSKI VISTI, REJECTS
ANTI-SEMITISM CHARGES
Novyy Kanal television, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

8. YUSHCHENKO: SHUT DOWN OF "SILSKI VISTI" INDICATES
INCREASED PRESSURE ON OPPOSITION MEDIA
"Our Ukraine" Nasha Ukrayina Website, Kyiv, Ukraine, January 29, 2004

9. MEMBER OF THE EURASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS AND THE
RADA SAYS CLOSING OF NEWSPAPER A PLANNED
PROVOCATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION
UNIAN, Kyiv, Ukraine, January 29, 2004

10. UKRAINE WILL KEEP INSISTING ON THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY'S RECOGNITION OF THE 1932-1933 FAMINE
AS AN ACT OF GENOCIDE AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE
Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk
"The International Conference on Genocide Prevention in Stockholm,
Threats and Responsibility;" Stockholm, Sweden
UKRINFORM, Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, January 27, 2004

11. UKRAINIAN PIPELINE SHOULD CARRY CASPIAN FROM
THE BLACK SEA TO EUROPE - US EXPERTS
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, Russia, in Russian, 28 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 28, 2004

12. THE LOWLIFE CHARMS OF ODESSA
By Sylvie Briand, Agence France-Presse (AFP)
Odessa, Ukraine, Sunday, 25 January 2004
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER ONE
=========================================================
1. COUNCIL OF EUROPE BODY WARNS UKRAINE ABOUT
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION IN A WAY WHICH IS NOT
ENVISAGED BY THE LAW OR BY UNCONSTITUTIONAL MEANS

UNIAN news agency, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

Strasbourg, 29 January: The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe [PACE] has adopted a resolution recognizing the existence of a
political crisis in Ukraine. The resolution was supported by 46 members
of the council [thirteen members voted against].

The PACE rejected a proposal by Ukrainian [Communist] MP Borys Oliynyk
to describe Ukraine's crisis as parliamentary. The PACE also rejected a
proposal to include into the resolution a point stipulating that unless
Ukraine guarantees its citizens a free and fair presidential election on 31
October 2004, the PACE could cast doubt on the mandate of the Ukrainian
delegation and decide to ask the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe to suspend Ukraine's membership in the Council of Europe.

The resolution said that these measures could be taken if Ukraine makes
"further moves to press for political reform by amending the constitution in
a way which is not envisaged by the law or by unconstitutional means".

At the same time, the PACE rejected point 7 [of the draft] which stipulated
that "the intention of the authorities to put an end to any possibility of a
political alternative to the authorities in Ukraine was a real motivation
for political reform which has resulted in the parliamentary crisis in
Ukraine".

Almost all proposals by members of the Ukrainian Supreme Council's
[parliament's] permanent delegation at the PACE, who are members of the
[pro-presidential] majority, were rejected. (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER TWO
=========================================================
2. POLITICAL CRISIS IN UKRAINE

Resolution 1364 (2004)[1], Provisional Edition
Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly
Strasbourg, Germany, January 29, 2004

[NOTE: The following resolution was adopted January 29 by a vote of 46
in favor and 13 against.]

1. The Assembly is deeply troubled by the recent developments in
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine relating to the consideration of the draft law on
amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine and in this context refers to its
Resolutions 1179 (1999), 1239 (2001), 1244 (2001), 1346 (2003) and in
particular to Recommendation 1451 (2000) on the institutional reform in
Ukraine. It notes that recently a procedure has been initiated, which is
not in compliance with the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada or
Article 19 of the Constitution of Ukraine.

2. The Assembly deeply regrets that the Ukrainian authorities,
including the President of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
consider the activities of the Council of Europe, namely the Assembly's
monitoring procedure, the visits of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring
Committee and their statements as "interference in the internal affairs of
Ukraine".

In this regard, it recalls that Ukraine has voluntarily accepted the
obligations arising from its membership according to the Statute of the
Council of Europe. Therefore, the Assembly finds such a stand of the
Ukrainian authorities groundless and unjustified.

3. The Assembly supports any sincere aspirations by both the
executive and the legislative authorities of Ukraine to pursue democratic
reforms that would aim at substantially strengthening the legislative power
and enhancing the independence of the judiciary, thus contributing to a
greater separation of powers and an improved system of checks and balances
as required by the standards of the Council of Europe.

4. The nature of the reforms as well as the system of governance
chosen is an internal affair of any sovereign state, but only as long as
they are carried out with due respect to the fundamental law of the country.

5. In this respect, the Assembly reiterates that the current
Constitution in force since 1996 constitutes the main domestic legal
instrument on the basis of which the country can develop a genuine democracy
and insists on strict respect of its provisions, in particular as regards
amendments to the Constitution, whatever their necessity and
appropriateness.

6. Within this context, the Assembly is convinced that any decision
reforming the constitutional election rules taken on the eve of Presidential
elections is likely to be biased and divisive and therefore considers the
timing of the current debate on constitutional reform highly inappropriate.

7. The Assembly strongly regrets the fact that the crisis in the
Verkhovna Rada has been sparked by lack of discussion of the officially
registered draft amendments to the Constitution. The Assembly finds that
such practices are inappropriate in a democratic state guided by the
principles of the rule of law.

8. At the same time, it deplores the means the opposition has
resorted to in retaliation in order to block the regular work of parliament.

9. The Assembly refers to the opinion of the European Commission for
Democracy through Law ("Venice Commission") adopted on 13 December 2003
which welcomed the efforts made for the reforming of the system of
government to bring the Ukrainian system closer to European democratic
standards but concluded that "the precise solutions chosen in the various
drafts do not yet seem to have attained that aim and introduce other
amendments to the Constitution that would appear to be a step backwards".

10. The Assembly deplores the fact that none of the recommendations
of the Venice Commission have been taken into account in the course of the
revision of the three Draft Laws (n° 3207-1, 4105 and 4180) by the
Constitutional Court of Ukraine nor by the ad hoc parliamentary
Constitutional Committee before submitting the Draft Law N° 4105 for
discussion in the Verkhovna Rada. The Assembly therefore urges the relevant
Ukrainian authorities to take into account all recommendations made so far
by the Venice Commission and to continue to hold an open and effective
dialogue with the Commission with a view to further improving the draft laws
currently under debate.

11. The Assembly launches an urgent appeal to the parties and blocks,
to parliamentary factions and groups represented in the Verkhovna Rada to
resolve their problems in a peaceful manner through an open dialogue and
full respect for parliamentary rules and regulations by means of:

i. securing the legitimacy of any constitutional reform by
admitting that, in this instance, the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna
Rada failed to be respected by all parties concerned, taking into account
that "voting by raising hands" in parliament is not provided for by law,
including the Rules of Procedure;

ii. proceeding to an open debate on all three Draft Laws (n°
3207-1, 4105 and 4180) on constitutional amendments which would involve
a proper public information and a nation-wide popular discussion on these
issues, especially pluralistic political debates on national TV and Radio
channels;

iii. fully taking into account the recommendations of the
Venice Commission while amending the Constitution and in particular
reconsidering their position regarding the imperative mandate of national
deputies, the limitation to ten years of the judges' tenure and the
extension of the mandate of the Prosecutor General, which all conflict
with the principles of democracy and the rule of law;

iv. ensuring that the next presidential election be held as
scheduled and for the term prescribed in the current Constitution, in view
of the fact that changing the election modalities immediately before the
elections are due can only but confuse the electorate;

v. agreeing to submit any constitutional changes relating to
the term and mode of election of a president to a nation-wide referendum
as provided in Article 156 of the Constitution in force.

12. The recent rulings of the Constitutional Court have once again
shown the vulnerability of the independence of the judiciary in Ukraine. In
the earnest belief that only a fully independent judiciary can provide the
stability that is necessary to establish the rule of law, the Assembly is
concerned by the ruling of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine of 25
December 2003 (N° 22-rp) as it corresponds neither to the present nor to the
previous Constitution of Ukraine in force when President Kuchma was first
elected in 1994.

The Assembly still hopes that the President of Ukraine will demonstrate
democratic responsibility by stepping down at the end of his second term as
foreseen by the Constitution of Ukraine.

13. With regard to the forthcoming Presidential elections in October
2004, the Assembly shares the concern of many Ukrainian citizens that the
election may not be truly free, fair, open and transparent. It maintains
that any form of authoritarian practices like intimidation of voters,
pressures on elections commissioners, curtailing the freedom of expression
or bias of the media in favour of some candidates of the ruling political
forces is clearly unacceptable. When full respect has been given to all
these elements, the outcome of the elections also has to be respected.

14. The Assembly calls upon the President of Ukraine to submit in the
nearest future the proposed candidates to fill the seats in the Central
Electoral Commission which are vacant since the expiry of the mandate of the
former incumbents.

15. In the light of the above findings, the Assembly calls upon the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe to urgently appoint a Special
Representative in Ukraine whose mandate should be to follow current
political developments in Ukraine, to provide advice and Council of Europe
expertise if and when needed and generally to enhance and co-ordinate the
ongoing co-operation with Ukrainian authorities.

16. It also considers that the activities relating to the Council of
Europe media action plan agreed with Ukraine should be stepped up in order
to achieve a noticeable improvement of the general framework in which media
operate and to promote substantial changes in the media culture in view of
the forthcoming election campaign.

17. The Assembly is also concerned about the recent events in the
town of Mukachevo concerning elections of the mayor and urges to resolve
this problem in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine. The Assembly
recommends that the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the
Council of Europe undertake the monitoring mission over the future elections
of mayor in the town of Mukachevo aiming at free and impartial elections.

18. The Assembly is of the opinion that the recent infringements of
the voting procedures in the Verkhovna Rada violate Ukraine's obligations
under Article 3 of the Statute of the Council of Europe. If any further
attempts should be made to push through political reforms by amending the
Constitution in a manner which is not prescribed by law and by
unconstitutional means, or if Ukraine should fail to guarantee free and fair
elections on 31 October 2004, the Assembly may decide to challenge the
credentials of the Ukrainian Delegation in accordance with Rule 9 of the
Assembly's Rules of Procedure and subsequently may decide to request the
Committee of Ministers to suspend the membership of Ukraine in the Council
of Europe in accordance with Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of
Europe.

19. The Assembly will continue to closely follow the developments in
Ukraine and stands ready to contribute to an effective dialogue between the
political forces represented in the Verkhovna Rada.

[1] Assembly debate on 29 January 2004 (7th sitting) (see Doc.10058, report
of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member
States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee), Co-Rapporteurs: Mrs
Severinsen and Mrs Wohlwend). Text adopted by the Assembly on 29 January
2004 (7th Sitting) . (END)

NOTE: REPORT OF THE MONITORING COMMITTEE:
To read a copy of the entire Report (Doc. 10058, 27 January 2004) of the
Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member
States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) Rapporteurs: Mrs
Hanne Severinsen, Denmark, Liberal, Democratic and Reformers' Group, and Mrs
Renate Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, Group of the European People's Party and
the draft resolution click on:
http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/Documents/Work
ingDocs/doc04/EDOC10058.htm (paste link together)

NOTE: FINAL ADOPTED RESOLUTION :
The link to the final resolution [shown above] that was adopted is:
http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=http%3A%2F%2Fassembly.coe.int%2FDocume
nts%2FAdoptedText%2FTA04%2FERES1364.htm (paste link together).
[Thanks to Taras Kuzio for sending information about the Resolution]
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER THREE
=========================================================
3. EU CONCERNED OVER EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE
UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT RELATED TO THE CONSTITUTION

Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

Kiev, 29 January: In the context of the coming presidential elections, the
European Union has expressed deep concern over the events which took place
in the Ukrainian parliament on 24 December 2003 in connection with the vote
on the first reading of amendments to the constitution. UNIAN has received a
statement to this effect from Ireland which is chairing the EU. [Passage
omitted: the agency's background to the vote]

The statement said that the EU recognizes Ukraine's sovereign right to
change its form of governance in accordance with the procedures stipulated
by the Ukrainian constitution. However, the EU is concerned over the fact
that in the current political circumstances proposals to amend the
constitution could adversely affect the trust and confidence of voters in
Ukraine's representative democracy, especially in the year of election.

The statement said that the legitimacy of the amendments to the constitution
should be predetermined by sincere support of this goal from society.

The EU, which seeks to develop relations with Ukraine, will watch
developments related to this issue during the next (fifth) session of the
Supreme Council [parliament], the statement said.

As was stated during the EU-Ukraine summit in Yalta on 7 October 2003, the
EU is convinced that it is important to hold a really free, fair and
transparent presidential election. The EU believes that any debates on
amending the constitution aimed at changing the procedure of the
presidential election should be held separately from the election, the
statement said.

The EU called on Ukraine to respond to a proposal from the Venice Commission
and to continue cooperation on issues of the constitutional reform.
The statement said that the EU will closely monitor the conditions in which
the presidential campaign and the vote would be held. [Passage omitted:
countries which seek EU membership support the statement]

[A draft law on amending the constitution and allowing the president to be
elected in parliament rather than by a universal ballot passed the first
reading in the Ukrainian parliament on 24 December. The pro-presidential
majority voted on the law by a show of hands which the parliamentary
opposition considers unlawful.] (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR
=========================================================
4. UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HRYSHCHENKO
DEFENDS PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

Strasbourg, 29 January: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko
told a Thursday [29 January] session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe [PACE] that "Ukraine is not experiencing a political
crisis but faces heated and emotional debates" on what kind of changes the
country needs.

Hryshchenko said that all changes envisioned in the country's political
reforms are proceeding in line with the constitution.

"Ukraine now has all elements of a democratic society, and the country's
economy is expanding at a very rapid pace," the foreign minister said,
adding that many Ukrainian citizens believe that certain changes need to be
undertaken to sustain this process. Like in any democratic society, this
process has both supporters and opponents, he said.

"We are open for further dialogue. Nevertheless, the situation requires that
resolutions be considered and adopted. A normal constitutional process is in
progress in Ukraine," Hryshchenko said.

The foreign minister expressed hope that the PACE will make a balanced
decision on Ukraine.

[The constitution amendments proposed by the propresidential majority in the
Ukrainian parliament have aroused Council of Europe fears that the change of
the political system in Ukraine ahead of the forthcoming presidential
election could be an attempt by President Leonid Kuchma to cling onto
power.] (END)(ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER FIVE
=========================================================
5. COURT IN UKRAINE SHOTS DOWN LARGEST OPPOSITION
NEWSPAPER SILSKI VISTI (COUNTRY NEWS)

www.Glavared.net, Kyiv, Ukraine, January 29, 2004

Acting on the lawsuit filed by the Jewish Antifascist Committee, Kyiv's
Shevchenkivsky district court ruled to suspend circulation of the Silski
Visti (Country News) newspaper, its deputy editor-in-chief Borys Polischuk
informed.

The European Antifascist Committee has accused Silski Visti of stirring up
inter-ethnic strife in the articles on problems of the Jewish people in
Ukraine published by PhD Vasyl Yaremenko of the Interregional Human
Recourses Academy. Polischuk said that his newspaper published extracts from
the book by Yaremenko in a separate leaflet in addition to the main issue to
advertise the book. He added that the court ruling on stirring up
inter-ethnic strife is an attack on the Silski Visti only, and not on
Yaremenko's book.

In the entire history of Silski Visti, Polischuk went on saying, its
publication was interrupted only three time: during the fascist occupation;
at times of the State Emergency Commission after collapse of the USSR and
when Kuchma stopped publication of few issues. Now Silski Visti circulates
518,000 copies, which makes it largest newspaper in Ukraine.

According to earlier reports, the Verkhovna Rada committee for freedom of
speech and information has called on the Rada and journalists to protect the
Silski Visti newspaper from charges of kindling inter-ethnic hostility.
Earlier, the Batkivschyna Party called on the Verkhovna Rada, public, and
the international monitoring organizations and the opposition to protect the
newspaper. The Socialist Party accused the Presidential Administration of
exerting pressure upon Silski Visti with the aim to shut down its
publication.

The three opposition forces - Our Ukraine, Yuliya Tymoshenko bloc and the
Socialist Party - have already addressed to the Jewish Antifascist Committee
with demand to withdraw the lawsuit as publications of the Silski Visti have
nothing to do with inter-ethnic strife, if only the Committee wasn't
influenced by the Presidential Administration. (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2005, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER SIX
========================================================
6. UKRAINIAN OPPOSITION DECRIES CLOSURE OF NEWSPAPER

Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

Kiev, 29 January: Three Ukrainian opposition factions, Our Ukraine, the
Socialist Party and the Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc, have issued a statement
regarding a court decision to close the Silski Visti newspaper [allegedly
linked to the Socialist Party], a member of the newspaper's board of
directors and Socialist Party member Ivan Bokyy has said.

The court decision will be included in the agenda of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe, he said in an interview with
Interfax-Ukraine today. In addition, opposition representatives "have
already held some consultations" with Western delegations, Bokyy said. The
closure of the newspaper could be "another reason" to approve sanctions
against Ukraine for violations in the areas of democracy and freedom of
speech.

Representatives of the newspaper are going to ask NGOs and political parties
for help, Bokyy said. Protest rallies against the closure of Silski Visti
are already being prepared in several regions of Ukraine, he said. In
addition, he expected that the newspaper's closure would be discussed with
international journalist organizations.

The editorial board of Silski Visti is going to appeal against the
Shevchenkivskyy district court's decision to close the publication, Bokyy
said. Under Ukrainian legislation, the editorial board can appeal against
the court decision within a month.

[Passage omitted: Newspaper is preparing an appeal, its arguments for
defence, details on the court ruling, see item entitled "Jewish leader
opposes paper's closure over anti-Semitism", UNIAN news agency, Kiev,
in Ukrainian 1042 gmt 29 Jan 04] (END)(ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER SEVEN
=========================================================
7. EMBATTLED UKRAINIAN DAILY, SILSKI VISTI, REJECTS
ANTI-SEMITISM CHARGES

Novyy Kanal television, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 29 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 29, 2004

[Presenter] Kiev's Shevchenkivskyy district court has ordered the closure of
one of Ukraine's most popular newspapers, Silski Visti [opposition newspaper
linked to the Socialist Party of Ukraine]. The court satisfied a suit by the
Jewish Antifascist Committee, which accused the newspaper of inciting ethnic
hatred.

[Correspondent] Last autumn Silski Visti published an excerpt from the book
"Jews in Ukraine Today: Reality without Myths" penned by Vasyl Yaremenko, a
professor of the notorious Interregional Academy for Personnel Management,
who claims that the Ukrainian people are being ruled by Jews. The Silski
Visti editorial board has rejected all accusations of anti-Semitism. It says
the court ruling is an attempt to pressurize the mouthpiece of Ukrainian
villagers.

[Vasyl Hruzin, captioned as Silski Visti editor-in-chief] The judge paid no
attention to who the author is, and nothing was said to the author.
Meanwhile, all the blame was pinned on us - that we are supposedly inciting
anti-Jewish sentiments.

[Correspondent] One of the plaintiffs, the head of the united Jewish
community of Ukraine [and media mogul], Vadym Rabynovych, holds the
opposite view. He told Novyy Kanal by phone that Silski Visti's political
likings are the last thing he is interested in. He also plans to sue the
author of the article. The united Jewish community of Ukraine views
Yaremenko's articles as fascist.

[Eduard Dolynskyy, captioned as executive director of the united Jewish
community of Ukraine, in Russian] I fully agree with the court ruling
because it was exactly what we stated and what we asked the court to do. We
cannot be tolerant of attempts to sow animosity in our society. Otherwise we
would slide into fascism.

[Correspondent] For its part, Silski Visti promises to continue publication
because it will contest the Shevchenkivskyy court's ruling in a court of
appeal. (END)(ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER EIGHT
=========================================================
8. YUSHCHENKO: SHUT DOWN OF "SILSKI VISTI" INDICATES
INCREASED PRESSURE ON OPPOSITION MEDIA

"Our Ukraine," Nasha Ukrayina Website, Kyiv, Ukraine, January 29, 2004

The leader of "Our Ukraine" Victor Yushchenko, commenting on yesterday's
ruling by the court in Shevchenko district of Kyiv to shut down "Silski
Visti" ("Rural News") newspaper, noted that such severe court ruling did not
surprise him. According to Yushchenko, that is not the first instance of
government pressure on oppositional publications.

"The government will get more and more upset with truthful information in
mass media the closer we get to elections and it will not be surprising to
see increased pressure at other oppositional publications," noted the leader
of "Our Ukraine." According to him, such persecution of "Silski Visti"
proves the government's weakness and the fact that it does not have any
other arguments left besides pressure and attempts to close down an
immensely popular publication. http://www.razom.org.ua
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER NINE
=========================================================
9. MEMBER OF THE EURASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS AND THE
RADA SAYS CLOSING OF NEWSPAPER A PLANNED
PROVOCATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION

UNIAN, Kyiv, Ukraine, January 29, 2004

KYIV......Vice-President of the Eurasian Jewish Congress, Supreme Rada
member Yevhen Chervonenko has called the decision of court to close "Silski
Visti" a "planned provocation of the Presidential administration against
mass media".

In an interview to an UNIAN correspondent, Ye.Chervonenko underlined
"Silski Visti" is the most popular Ukraine's newspaper with the largest
circulation, and, in addition, supporting opposition.

In his words, the articles of MAUP professor Vasyl Yaremenko (because of
which the newspaper was closed) are "shameful", but they were published in
the newspaper as advertising. At the same time, he has said the newspaper
should apologize for this material, but it is not an occasion to close it.

According to the vice-chairman of the Eurasian Jewish Congress, in the given
case double standards have been applied, be cause nobody responds to and
closes TV-channels "1+1", "Inter", who call opposition leader V.Yushchenko a
"fascist", nobody responds to anti-Semite publications in "Professional"
magazine.

The MP has underscored the struggle against anti-Semitism cannot be used for
struggle against freedom of speech. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER TEN
=========================================================
10. UKRAINE WILL KEEP INSISTING ON THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY'S RECOGNITION OF THE 1932-1933 FAMINE
AS AN ACT OF GENOCIDE AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE

Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk
"The International Conference on Genocide Prevention in Stockholm,
Threats and Responsibility;" Stockholm, Sweden
UKRINFORM, Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, January 27, 2004

STOCKHOLM......Ukraine Will Keep Insisting on the International Community's
Recognition of the 1932-1933 Famine as an act of genocide against the people
of Ukraine, Vice Prime Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk said in his speech at The
International Conference on Genocide Prevention in Stockholm

"The people of Ukraine are very sensitive on the problem of genocide as
under the totalitarian regime over seven million Ukrainians died in the
regime-orchestrated famine in Ukraine's countryside in 1932-1933. The
famine's devastating effects are still felt in Ukraine, and, though the
people of Ukraine do not mean to square accounts with the tragic past, we
will keep insisting on the international community's recognition of the
1932-1933 Famine as an act of genocide against the people of Ukraine,"
Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk said in his speech at the
International Conference into the Prevention of Genocide: Threats and
Responsibility, which opened in Stockholm on Monday, January 26 and is
scheduled to last through January 28.

Mr Tabachnyk is leading the Ukrainian delegation to the forum, in which
high-placed officials, including heads of state and government, from 60
countries are participating.

Within the forum's framework the Ukrainian delegation's head and members
(First Deputy Minister for Education and Science, V. Tkachenko; Vice
Chairman of the State Committee for Nationalities and Migration, V. Voronin)
are expected to meet with Swedish Minister for Policy Coordination, Par
Nuder; Swedish Minister for Matters of Children and Family, Berit Andnor;
Slovak Vice Premier, Pal Csaky, OSCE High Commissioner on National
Minorities, Rolf Ekeus; and Swedish parliament deputies, who are members
of the Group for Interparliamentary Cooperation with Ukraine.

The international forum is being attended, among other dignitaries, by UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan, EU Council Secretary General Javier Solana.
The forum's opening ceremony was attended by King Carl XVI Gustaf,
Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria. (END)(ARTUIS)
==========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER ELEVEN
==========================================================
11. UKRAINIAN PIPELINE SHOULD CARRY CASPIAN FROM
THE BLACK SEA TO EUROPE - US EXPERTS

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian, 28 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 28, 2004

Kiev, 28 January: The US company Energy Solutions has said the best option
in terms of efficiency is using the Odessa-Brody oil pipeline in the
direction of Brody and using the Prydniprovskyy oil pipelines to transport
Russian oil to the Yuzhnyy oil terminal [in Odessa], Ukrainian Fuel and
Energy Minister Serhiy Yermilov said today. [The Odessa-Brody pipeline was
originally built to transport Caspian oil from the Black Sea to Europe, but
Russian companies want Ukraine to reverse the pipeline and pump Russian oil
to Odessa.]

"There is an option to reverse the pipeline, but it is not the top one," he
said. The ministry will submit its final proposals on using the pipeline to
the Ukrainian government on Friday [30 January], he said. Participants in
the meeting of the interdepartmental working group, which was held on
Tuesday [27 January], took two days to study the information, Yermilov
added. The working group includes representatives of Ukrainian ministries
and departments, the Russian oil companies TNK-British Petroleum and
Transneft, and the Belarusian pipeline operator Druzhba.

[A Ukrainian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Klyuyev has left
for Washington today for talks on the Odessa-Brody-Plock-Gdansk oil pipeline
on 29-30 January, according to Interfax-Ukraine, Kiev, in Russian 0905 gmt
28 Jan 04] (END) (ARTUIS)
==========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 16: ARTICLE NUMBER TWELVE
==========================================================
12. THE LOWLIFE CHARMS OF ODESSA

By Sylvie Briand, Agence France-Presse (AFP)
Odessa, Ukraine, Sunday, 25 January 2004

The name of Odessa, Ukraine's southern port city, has long been
linked with crime, romanticised by Isaac Babel in his tales of Jewish
lowlife, and now tourist agencies and others are cashing in on its
sulphurous reputation.

Literary tours are available for those who want them, but the best-
selling itineraries on offer at the Fagot-Travel agency are those
which trace the haunts of some of the city's celebrated bandits,
pimps, smugglers and other ne'er-do-wells of the past.

For a fee, visitors can walk in the steps of "Goldenhands" Sonya who
in the late 19th century set up a "school for thieves", or those of
Mishka Japonchik (the little Japanese man), Odessa's king of thieves
whom Babel immortalised as Benya Krik in his "Odessa Tales".

And then there is the 19th century Serb banker and con
artist "Mishich" who, legend has it, amassed an immense fortune, one
as large as the entire Russian state budget, but ended up by losing
it all and having his home and belongings confiscated by the tsarist
authorities.

Unsurprisingly, Odessa's loveable (and unlovable) rogues have
inspired writers down the ages, and one of the most notable creations
by Odessan writers is Ostap Bender, the hero-villain of Soviet-era
satirists Ilf and Petrov's novels "The 12 Chairs" and "The Golden
Calf". The first of these two cult novels has just been transformed
into a big-budget Moscow musical.

SERFS AND BANDITS

Viktor Faytelberg-Blank, a 70-year-old Odessa resident, has
supplemented his earnings as a successful doctor by publishing a
series of books about Odessa's criminal underworld since the city's
incorporation in 1794, drawing heavily on local and KGB (Soviet
security) archives.

"Odessa was built up by runaway serfs and bandits who took refuge
there after the local authorities decreed a general amnesty. Hence
its nickname of "Mama Odessa," Faytelberg-Blank noted. Such
origins "made a very particular impression on the mentalities of the
Odessans," he said.

The port's cosmopolitan nature, with its mix of Ukrainians and
Russians leavened by Bulgarians, Serbs, Moldovans, Greeks, Italians
and Jews, "contributes a lot to the brashness, humour and quick-
wittedness of the Odessans, all of which flavour the local criminal
customs," he observed.

"The thieves had principles, in those days. If they turned someone
over, they'd leave him enough to get started again. Then one day they
could rob him all over again."

Faytelberg-Blank, who is proud to claim "ties of friendship" with
local hoods, now sees Odessa as "just another city with
criminals." "The world of crime has changed," he noted. "Now as never
before it's the local officials and police who are involved in
criminal activities."

Nevertheless, Odessa's name still echoes with criminal associations
of the past, a phenomenon that city police chief Mykola Andreyev is
thoroughly fed up with. "It has no basis in fact," he snorted. "People
like Faytelberg-Blank who glamorise criminals are harming the city
which first and foremost is a cultural centre."

He admitted however that Odessa's strategic situation on the Black
Sea coast and its proximity to several international borders
(including that of future EU member Hungary) and to the lawless
breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestr mean that the city will
always be a magnet to characters with a shady past and uncertain
future. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
ARTICLES ARE FOR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC USE ONLY
=========================================================
WEBSITE FOR NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT UKRAINE
http://www.ArtUkraine.com
FOLK ART MAGAZINE: NARODNE MYSTETSTVO
A Great Magazine About Ukrainian Folk Art Culture....In Ukrainian
http://www.artukraine.com/primitive/artmagazine.htm
========================================================
INFORMATION ABOUT "UKRAINE REPORT-2004"
The "UKRAINE REPORT-2004," is an in-depth news and analysis newsletter,
produced by the www.ArtUkraine.com Information Service (ARTUIS) with
production offices in Kyiv, Ukraine and Washington, D.C.. The report is
distributed worldwide free of charge using the e-mail address:
ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net. Please make sure this e-mail address is
cleared for your SPAM filter. Letters to the editor are always welcome.
For further information contact Morgan Williams: morganw@patriot.net.

"UKRAINE REPORT" 2004 SPONSORS:

1. U.S.-UKRAINE FOUNDATION, (USUF), Nadia Komarnyckyj
McConnell, President; John A. Kun, VP/COO; Markian Bilynskyj,
VP, Dir. of Field Operations, Kyiv, Ukraine and Washington, D.C.
website: http://www.usukraine.org .
2. UKRAINE-U.S. BUSINESS COUNCIL, Kempton Jenkins,
President, Washington, D.C.
3. UKRAINIAN AMERICAN COORDINATING COUNCIL,
(UACC), Ihor Gawdiak, President, Washington, D.C.
4. UKRAINIAN FEDERATION OF AMERICA, (UFA),
Dr. Zenia Chernyk, President, Philadelphia, PA.
5. ACTION UKRAINE COALITION, (AUC),Washington, D.C.
6. KIEV-ATLANTIC UKRAINE, David and Tamara Sweere,
Founders and Managers; Kyiv, Ukraine
7. VOLIA SOFTWARE, Software to Fit Your Business, Source your
IT work in Ukraine. Contact: Yuriy Sivitsky, Vice President, Marketing,
Kyiv, Ukraine, yuriy.sivitsky@softline.kiev.ua; Volia Software website
http://www.volia-software.com/.
8. POTENTIAL, the launching of a new business journal for Ukraine.
http://www.usukraine.org/potential.shtml#about
9. INDIVIDUAL, CORPORATE and FOUNDATION READERS
OF "UKRAINE REPORT-2004" who financially support the publication.
Additional financial support is needed to maintain and expand the
program to include the translation and distribution of important articles
in Ukrainian.

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR
E. Morgan Williams, Senior Advisor, Government Relations and
Foundation Development, U.S.-UKRAINE FOUNDATION (USUF)
Publisher and Editor: "UKRAINE REPORT" 2004
www.ArtUkraine.com Information Service (ARTUIS).
http://www.ArtUkraine.com News and Information Website,
P.O. Box 2607, Washington, D.C. 20013
Tel: 202 437 4707, morganw@patriot.net
Office In Kyiv: 380 44 212 5586, Mobile in Kyiv: 380 50 689 2874
====================================================
TO SUBSCRIBE (FREE)
If you know of one or more persons you think would like to be added to
the distribution list for "UKRAINE REPORT" 2004 please send us the
relevant contact information. We welcome additional names. The report
is sent FREE of charge and is courtesy of our sponsors. To subscribe
please send a subscription request e-mail to Morgan Williams,
morganw@patriot.net. Past issues of the "UKRAINE REPORT-2003"
(119 reports) and 2004" will be sent upon request.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE
UNSUBSCRIBE: If you do not wish to receive future editions of the
"UKRAINE REPORT-2004," up to three times per week, please be sure
and notify us by return e-mail to morganw@patriot.net.
========================================================