UKRAINE TAKES STEP BACKWARD IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

    The first stage of this year’s presidential election in Ukraine was perceived as a step back for democratic processes. This conclusion was reached by most international organizations and governments including the Ukrainian World Congress, which together with its United States and Canadian contingencies fielded a team of some 250 international observers. Prior to election day, the UWC issued a statement pointing out that pre-election manipulations by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Central Elections Commission had marred the pre-election process. Following election day, UWC’s, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America’s and Ukrainian Canadian Congress’ international observers issued a statement which stressed that while only minor violations were noted during the elections themselves, their prelude was grossly tainted. Both statements are attached.    

UWC URGES VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION IN ROUND TWO

    Based on the pre election process and thus anticipating the results of the first round, the UWC president communicated with representatives of national coordinating organizations on October 28, 2004 requesting their opinions on what action should be taken by the UWC. On the day following the election, the UWC issued an appeal to Ukrainian citizens abroad to participate actively in the upcoming presidential runoff election by registering to vote no later than November 13, 2004 and voting at the established polling places on November 21, 2004. On November 6, 2004 at a specially convened meeting, the UWC Executive decided, that irrespective of the democratic deficiencies to date, more diligent efforts need to be applied to the runoff election: urging additional voter registration, ascertaining detailed registration requirements, expanding participation in the election itself, assuring adequate international monitoring  in Ukraine and especially the Trans-Dniester region, advising the Central Elections Commission of our efforts as well as our expectations of a free and fair election and arranging for international media coverage.

N.B. The UWC president spoke with Mr. Danylevskyj, a representative of the Central Elections Commission on November 8, 2004 regarding a clear definition of requirements for registration and voting and was informed that, besides a personal written statement, the sole requirement is a non expired  Ukrainian passport for travel abroad or a Soviet passport which carries no expiration date. Additionally Mr. Danylevskyj advised that  local election precincts should remain open everyday until the runoff election and accept registrants, but issue a revised list of voters after the runoff elections are officially announced.

UWC WINS BACK DOMAIN NAME

    On November 4, 2004 the World Intellectual Property Organization issued the decision of its Administrative Panel dated October 26, 2004 in the case of Ukrainian World Congress v. Daniel Steel transferring the domain name <Ukrainianworldcongress.org> to the  Ukrainian World Congress. In addition to the UWC president, UWC 1^st VP Eugene Czolij and Conference of Ukrainian Youth Organizations chair Andrij Bihun were responsible for the successful litigation of this matter.

UWC PRESIDENT ADDRESSES UKRAINIAN INSURGENT ARMY (UPA) DIATRIBE

    The Ukrainian language periodical Krytyka recently carried an article by Professor Yaroslav Hrytsak from Lviv State University which can only be characterized as a diatribe against the UPA, branding it a terrorist formation. Inasmuch as Professor Hrytsak sits on the Senate of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) and is employed as a visiting professor at the Ukrainian studies program at Columbia University, two institutions which receive funding from the Ukrainian Diaspora, the UWC president communicated directly with Professor Hrytsak. The UWC president stressed that while Prof. Hrytsak may be entitled to his opinion, the UWC feels that his positions are offensive to the overwhelming majority of the Diaspora and should be tempered by his UCU and CU affiliations. Professor Hrytsak declined to distance himself  or apologize for the article.  The UWC president then communicated this matter to Patriarch Lubomyr Husar and the Rector of UCU, Rev. Borys Gudziak. We await their responses.

UWC BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO CONVENE IN LVIV