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Ukrainian Deputy Assailed by Ukrainian-American New Yorkers on Political Platform

New York – A group of delegates from Ukraine was greeted with jeers during a meeting with the local Ukrainian Diasporan community at the Ukrainian National Home on Friday, January 30, 1999. What was intended to be a conference for an informative exchange between the Ukrainian nationals and a Ukrainian-American crowd, drew frequent derisive boos and hisses especially when member of Parliament Ms. Natalia Lymar of the Progressive Socialist Party mentioned the name of her party’s leader, Natalya Vitrenko.

Natalya Vitrenko, has been called a "representative of the hard left." Her party is in direct competition with the CPU and SPU, and reportedly argues for a "return to the 'radiant past"' of the early Soviet period and establishing closer ties with Russia and Belarus. Vitrenko's platform is said to include "confiscatory monetary reform and nationalization of national security enterprises"--needed, she said, because privatization had failed to create jobs.

Following Ms. Lymar’s presentation which resembled a typical campaign speech used to promote the party platform, the floor was opened to the audience for questions to all the delegates. Nearly all questions were prefaced by comments decrying the political position held by the Progressive Socialist party (accusations calling it "communist propaganda" were heard from the crowd) and it’s followers, and the questions themselves addressed mostly to Ms. Lymar, with few directed towards any of the other panel members. In response to the question "Why does the Progressive Socialist party reject any and all proposals by the Kuchma government that are intended to encourage economic reforms?", Ms. Lymar dismissed Kuchma economic proposals as ineffective, serving only to "increase the national debt".

Ms. Lymar spoke in Ukrainian and affirmed her party’s commitment to a free and independent Ukraine, albeit as a close friend to its nearby neighbors. It was clear that the audience did not accept these remarks at face value when they again raised their voices in objection to Ms. Lymar’s statements.

Because the time was short and only a few questions were permitted, a small crowd of dissatisfied audience members converged around Ms. Lymar after the meeting was ended and attempted to further express their opinions and voice yet unasked questions. In order to preclude any unpleasant encounters Ms. Lymar was rapidly steered towards the exit, escorted by a Project Harmony representative. Project Harmony is the organization that coordinated the delegates’ trip to the United States from Ukraine as part of a USAID-sponsored program.

Saturday, January 30, 1999
A. Krill, BRAMA - UkraiNewstand

Learn more about this Project Harmony program:
http://www.brama.com/news/press/11199harmony.html

See also: Ambassador Buteiko's statement regarding leftists forces in Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada.

 

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