Published in Inform issue #150
See the full issue here.

Ukraine’s opposition forces have united to condemn a new agreement that provides a 25-year extension to the Russian navy’s lease of Sevastopol in return for cheaper gas imports (see next article). The democratic forces will seek to stop the agreement from being ratified at Tuesday’s session of the Verkhovna Rada – Ukraine’s 450-seat parliament.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Leader of the Opposition Yulia Tymoshenko described the deal “as a shocking trade-off.” She went on to say, “This casts Ukraine 20 years back towards the Soviet Union. Independence is at risk. I don't want to see our country fall under authoritarianism and controlled democracy.”

The twice former prime minister branded the agreement, signed on 21 April by President Viktor Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, as “unconstitutional.” The agreement allows Russia’s Black Sea Fleet to stay on at its base in Sevastopol until 2042.

Chapter 1, Article 17 of Ukraine’s constitution clearly states, “The location of foreign military bases shall not be permitted on the territory of Ukraine.” Whereas the Russian navy’s use of the Black Sea port preceded the constitution, its lease was due to expire in 2017 and, in line with the constitution, Russian forces were due to quit the port. Any agreement which permits them to stay on after the expiry of the lease is therefore unlawful.

Ms Tymoshenko warned that the security of Europe and the region were at stake. Russia used ships from its Black Sea Fleet during its short war with Georgia in August 2008. Vessels from the fleet patrolled the coast of Abkhazia and sunk a Georgian missile boat.

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The ruling government is trying to manipulate public opinion by putting pressure on the media and providing misleading information about the situation in Ukraine, claims Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition.

"Everything that the opposition is trying to convey to the public either never makes it onto the news, or if it does it is totally distorted in a professional manner – so as to manipulate public opinion. That’s why today’s news creates a completely distorted view of what’s happening in the country," Yulia Tymoshenko said today during a meeting with representatives of diplomatic missions in Ukraine.

The opposition leader noted that her team is constantly recording cases of infringement of freedom of speech on Ukrainian television channels. "This isn’t the first time we’re encountering this and not the first time that we’ve had discussions with the channel owners and journalists, but unfortunately the journalists, who are professional, decent and honest, today are under serious pressure from their employers," she said.

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The agreement between Ukraine and Russia regarding the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s lease to stay in Ukraine is aimed at limiting Ukraine’s sovereignty, claims Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition.

"This is a strategic mistake, if you can consider it a mistake rather than deliberate intention. I think that as of this moment our country will have limited sovereignty because agreements such as this essentially deprive Ukraine of the right to manage a part of its territory," Yulia Tymoshenko said today during a meeting with representatives of diplomatic missions in Ukraine.

According to Yulia Tymoshenko, the Kharkiv agreement is a flagrant violation of Ukraine’s Constitution. "Article 17 of the Ukrainian Constitution clearly forbids the location of foreign military bases on the territory of Ukraine. This is a provision of the Constitution; it’s not ambiguous and doesn’t require interpretation. And when they refer to the transitional provisions, one needs to understand that the transitional provisions were drafted to regulate problems that existed at the moment the Constitution was adopted and that they were regulated by the signing of an agreement on the Black Sea Fleet remaining on Ukrainian territory until 2017," explained the opposition leader.

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Viktor Yanukovych’s team is denying the opposition functions that allow it to control the current government, claims Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition.

"The problem is that the opposition lost its ability to control the government’s actions, lost is access to information and influence over processes taking place in Ukraine on the parliamentary level. This is a bad sign, because while we’d like to talk about Ukraine moving forward, it’s taking a definite step back," Yulia Tymoshenko said today during a meeting with representatives of diplomatic missions in Ukraine.

Yulia Tymoshenko recalled that when her team was in power, they gave the opposition all the rights and opportunities to work.

"My team and I were at the forefront of the processes that began in parliament and gave the opposition its rights. We all remember that it was our team that first proposed that the opposition nominate the first vice speaker of parliament. We were the first to propose that the opposition head key committees that give the opposition real functions of control," she said.

"Unfortunately, these good traditions have been totally destroyed. Today, all the traditions and even procedures established by law that give the opposition the right to control those in power, that give the opposition the right to performs its functions, today everything has collapsed," Yulia Tymoshenko said.

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Key documents and agreements that form Ukraine’s image in the world and its international relations are being drafted by Viktor Yanukovych’s team behind closed doors, claims Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition.

"I think this secrecy is due to the fact that these agreements are unacceptable for Ukraine," Yulia Tymoshenko said today during a meeting with representatives of diplomatic missions in Ukraine.

She stressed that neither the public nor expert community had seen the text of the document that was being proposed to the Ukrainian and Russian presidents. "Up until the latest minute of the meeting in Kharkiv, nobody in Ukraine, neither the committees in parliament nor society or experts, knew about the agenda or the essence of the agreements that were being signed," she said.

"The signing of such documents as in Kharkiv, the essence and spirit of these documents, their preparation before signing and the ratification process speak of that fact that today neither the public nor the opposition knows what the government is planning for tomorrow and the day after and how this will all end for Ukraine," said the opposition leader.

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Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition, is calling on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the PACE Monitoring Committee, the international community and civil society organizations to provide an assessment of processes in Ukraine indicating the curtailing of democracy and freedom of speech.

"I think the development of democratic processes warrants a separate discussion and particular attention, including from the international community and countries that have always been Ukraine’s partners in strengthening democratic institutions," Yulia Tymoshenko said today during a meeting with representatives of diplomatic missions in Ukraine.

The opposition leader also plans to request that PACE hold hearings on the problems of democracy in Ukraine. "I would like to ask for support from those delegates representing their countries in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for hearings to be dedicated to Ukraine," she said.

Yulia Tymoshenko also said that the opposition plans to convey information regarding the rolling back of democracy in Ukraine to the international community through civil society organizations. "I think we will appeal to all civil society organizations that closely monitor what is happening to freedom of speech in Ukraine. We will try to stop the restrictions on freedom of speech in Ukraine with the help of civil society organizations and journalist groups," she explained.

"We will not tolerate what is happening in our country today. We consider this the unfolding of authoritarianism in Ukraine. And there are definite signs of this today. We will work with our parliamentary groups that cooperate with the European Parliament to raise all the issues that require special attention and discussion," said Yulia Tymoshenko.

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Ukraine is undergoing a difficult test of its democracy and strategic course of European integration, believes Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition.

"Today we are truly worried that while we are in opposition this will be lost time for Ukraine’s European integration," Yulia Tymoshenko said during a meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule.

The opposition leader stressed that European integration remains a key value for her political force. "Our move into the opposition has only strengthened this conviction," Yulia Tymoshenko said, noting that the current government’s pro-European rhetoric is just talk and not action.

Stefan Fule underlined that European integration is a very complex process. "This is a process that involves not only the president and one political force. This is a process that should include other partners. I called on the government, the prime minister in particular, to including other partners in the implementation of European integration programs," he said.

He also assured Yulia Tymoshenko that stability in Ukraine at any price is not a doctrine of the EU. "Respect for the rule of law, human rights and democratic values will always remain key to EU-Ukraine relations," said the commissioner.

Commenting on Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to extend the lease for the Russian Black Sea Fleet to remain on Ukrainian territory, Stefan Fule stressed that "while such things are Ukraine’s sovereign right, they should be transparent and not violate the Constitution."

Published in Inform issue #149
See the full issue here.

Amnesty International, the international human rights watchdog, has called on President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration to ensure accountability for human rights abuses by making sure Ukraine’s laws and practices comply with international standards.

The news comes amid reports that forces connected with the new administration are muzzling journalists through harassment and television censorship. Just last week journalist Borys Brahinskiy of Channel 9 television was badly beaten on leaving his office in Dnipropetrovsk. He works for the programme "Hubernski Khroniky" (Regional Chronicles), which had been investigating cases related to local business and politics. Mr Brahinskiy believes the attack was related to his work.

In a separate incident, police are reported to have assaulted reporters and an editor working for the newspaper Express. The incident occurred when the journalists enquired at the prosecutor’s office about the newspaper’s general director, Andriy Vey, who was arrested without charge the day before. The attack on the reporters was caught on film.

In an article by Radio Free Europe/Liberty Radio, the Our Ukraine-People’s Self Defence bloc deputy Yuri Stets said that increasingly he sees more “censored” interviews on Ukrainian TV, in which politicians answer questions that they have been given in advance.

“A free press was one of the enduring successes that followed the Orange Revolution, we cannot allow it to be curtailed now,” said Andriy Shevchenko, a deputy from the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT).

TV Station Owners Exert their Influence

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The defectors who left the BYuT team were seduced by the power of authority and the material benefits it offered, believes Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition.

"Individuals defectors have left our ranks. They converted the other team’s authority into their own dubious personal achievements – material or career-related," Yulia Tymoshenko said in an interview with the magazine Korrespondent.

She noted that members of parliament are being offered $5 million to join the parliamentary coalition. "This is a natural choice. Can you imagine that our deputies, many of whom never saw $50,000 at once in their life, are now being offered $5 million? Young professionals are being offered high-level position," she said.

She noted that 150 people remain in the parliamentary opposition team – true fighters as she calls them, who are "ready to take a blow."

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Yulia Tymoshenko believes an alternative program for social and economic development for 2010 should be prepared and submitted to parliament.

"At our next meeting of the opposition government we need to approve our socio-economic development program. We need to draft a document, approve it and submit it to parliament as an alternative," Yulia Tymoshenko said during today’s opposition government meeting.

In her opinion, the alternative program should be based on the previous government’s action plan, which was drafted and submitted to parliament on time, but was not considered because of political sabotage.

Yulia Tymoshenko also believes this document should take into account proposals made by Ukrainian experts who worked on the national report on the socio-economic situation.

She argued that an alternative program needs to be submitted because the current government’s document is not professional. "It’s simply impossible to fully correct this mediocre program. It is indicative of this government’s lack of professionalism," said Yulia Tymoshenko.

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Viktor Yanukovych’s election campaign was based on lies and deception, claims Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition.

"All the promises President Yanukovych made when he was a candidate regarding increasing pensions and wages and child support – all these draft laws that were considered yesterday in parliament failed because of the Party of Regions. Their promises and their presidential candidate’s campaign programs all fell through because the Party of Regions followed Yanukovych’s instructions and voted against them," Yulia Tymoshenko said in her opening remarks at today’s opposition government meeting.

According to her "society, and especially those people who voted for Yanukovych, will continue to see every day how Yanukovych’s election campaign was built on deception."

Yulia Tymoshenko added that the opposition will develop and submit to parliament draft laws on increasing pensions and wages.

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On Sunday, April 18, Yulia Tymoshenko will travel to Krakow to attend the funeral of President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria.

"I consider it my duty to attend Lech Kaczynski’s funeral and pay final tribute to a great Polish patriot and a true friend of Ukraine," said Yulia Tymoshenko.

Published in Inform issue #148
See the full issue here.

Last Thursday, Ukraine’s Constitutional Court ruled that the governing coalition was formed legally. Its decision that defecting deputies could participate in creating a coalition as opposed to purely factions, avoided President Viktor Yanukovych calling a snap parliamentary election. The controversial ruling, which has been widely condemned, was made amid allegations that judges were pressurised and bribed.

The court ruled that individual deputies, in particular, those who are not members of parliamentary factions that initiated the creation of a coalition, have the right to participate in the formation of a coalition in the Verkhovna Rada.

The ruling contradicts both the constitution and a decision on the issue made in September 2008. According to news reports, more bizarre still was that the decision of the court was announced by First Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Klyuyev, a day before the court announced its official ruling. This served to fuel speculation that senior government officials had direct access to and were attempting to bribe the Constitutional Court judges.

Leader of the Opposition, Yulia Tymoshenko was joined by politicians and think tank leaders in a chorus of protests against the decision. “The Constitutional Court of Ukraine issued a shameful decision, the likes of which independent Ukraine has never seen, “ she said (see next article for her full statement).

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The opposition is insisting that Mykola Azarov’s government disclose the terms and offers being made to Russia in exchange for a reduction in gas prices, opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko has announced.

"We’re troubled by the statements being made by Yanukovych’s government regarding proposals to Russia regarding the aviation sector, creating a gas transport consortium, and other unknown proposals having to do with nuclear energy and related facilities," Yulia Tymoshenko said.

The opposition leader stressed that the agreement between Ukraine and Russia on gas supply that was signed by the previous government fully ensures a stable market price for gas.

"We’d like for Yanukovych and his government to clearly announce which national interests they’re selling in exchange for what they’re calling a decrease in gas prices. We’d like them to disclose the terms that concern that country’s strategic facilities. Nobody will allow them to humiliate and betray the national interests this way," Yulia Tymoshenko said.

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A state budget with expenditures exceeding revenues by 17% of the GDP is unacceptable, believes opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

"I want to warn Yanukovych and the government: the budget that they intend to submit to parliament, which will have a deficit of 17% of GDP, including in hidden form, won’t bring Ukraine stability in terms of inflation or social spending," Yulia Tymoshenko said today after a meeting of the opposition council.

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The lack of a state budget has nothing to do with the price for gas supplied to Ukraine by Russia, believes Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition.

"The price for gas for the population is not connected to talks with Russia because Ukrainian households receive Ukrainian gas. Therefore, there’s no reason to change the price for the population," Yulia Tymoshenko said following today’s meeting of the opposition council.

The opposition leader recalled that while her team was in power, a record volume of natural gas was pumped into Ukraine’s underground storage facilities at a price of less than $200 per thousand cubic meters. This has allowed gas prices for the industrial sector to remain at 2009 levels.

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Opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko has accused the authorities of failing to respect the rights of the opposition.

"President Yanukovych and his entire team are starting to destroy the opposition’s rights, which we as a government formed over the past years and gave them when they were in opposition," Yulia Tymoshenko said during today’s meeting of the opposition council.

In her opinion, this is the second stage of the rolling back of democratic processes in Ukraine, following the illegal formation of the parliamentary coalition and government.

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The opposition council meeting, attended by Yulia Tymoshenko, observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the April 10 plane crash near Smolensk, Russia that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria, and members of the Polish political elite.

On Saturday, Yulia Tymoshenko offered her condolences to the Polish people. "This is a horrible tragedy that is difficult to understand and impossible to grasp. Even one life is priceless. It is all the more tragic when we lose people who define the face of Europe and the world. Polish President Lech Kaczynski was such a man – a true Polish patriot and friend of Ukraine," said Yulia Tymoshenko.

She urged the ruling government in Ukraine to declare April 12 a day of mourning for the victims of the plane crash.

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Today has been declared a day of mourning in Ukraine for Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria, and the other Polish politicians and public figures that died in the April 10 plane crash near Smolensk, Russia.

"This is a horrible tragedy that is difficult to understand and impossible to grasp. Even one life is priceless. It is all the more tragic when we lose people who define the face of Europe and the world. Polish President Lech Kaczynski was such a man – a true Polish patriot and friend of Ukraine," said Yulia Tymoshenko.

She offered condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. "I bow my head in sorrow with the Polish people, who have suffered an irreparable loss."

Yulia Tymoshenko urged the ruling government in Ukraine to declare April 12 a day of mourning for the victims of the plane crash.

"Yesterday was a terrible tragedy. Polish President Lech Kaczynski, a true friend of Ukraine, died in a plane crash. Poland is a great friend of Ukraine, and there are good neighborly relations between our two countries. Therefore, from a human and moral perspective, I ask the government to consider declaring Monday a day of mourning in Ukraine," Yulia Tymoshenko said.

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Today, April 5, marks the 300th anniversary of the Constitution of Hetman Pylyp Orlyk. Ukrainians can be proud of this document, which preceded the US Constitution (1787) by 77 years and the Polish Constitution (1791) by 81 years.

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My dear Ukrainians!

Christ is Risen!

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Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the united democratic opposition, believes that European integration should be Ukraine’s foreign policy priority and at the same time is in favor of building good relations with neighboring countries.

"From opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko’s point of view, European integration is a determining priority. Does this contradict good relations with Russia? No, it doesn’t. A mistake was made by those who wanted to integrate Ukraine into the EU on an anti-Russian platform. This was a serious strategic miscalculation," Hryhoriy Nemyria, former vice prime minister for European integration and deputy head of the Batkivshchyna Party, said in an interview with UNIAN.

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