Ukraine

Almost everyone has favorite lists this time of year-- best movies, books, persons… For the10th year, here is my annual list of the BEST and WORST issues, events and personae that have impacted on the global Ukrainian community in 2012. BEST LIST • Ukraine’s opposition leaders --for agreeing back in January 22, 2012 --Ukraine’s historic day of unification-- to offer a single list of candidates in the October parliamentary elections. It worked! • Ukrainian diaspora women’s organizations --for catching fire after Rada Speaker Mykola Lytvyn opined that women are on a lower rung of development than men. He cited Christian teachings as a basis for this ‘fact’ on the eve of International Women’s Day, the ‘holy’ day of Communism, a system that oppresses women but mouths equality. • Government of Canada --for continuing to demonstrate Canada’s friendship for Ukraine while taking a tough stand on its government’s disregard for democracy. • The people of Mykolajiv, Ukraine --for their rage and protest against government inaction when sons of justice and government officials beat up burned Oksana Makar. She has since died. • The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church leadership; its Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shewchuk) -- for welcoming...

The results of the parliamentary elections in Ukraine were published on November 13 in the official parliamentary newspapers – Holos Ukrainy. Under the Law on the Election of People's Deputies of Ukraine, the deadline for the official publication of the parliamentary election results in the Holos Ukrainy and Uriadovy Kurier newspapers is set until November 17, 2012, inclusively. The October 28, 2012, election was conducted under a mixed system, with 225 MPs elected on party lists and 225 in single-seat constituencies (the election in 2007 was held under a proportional system). The Central Election Commission announced the results of count of party list ballots on November 10. Winners in single-seat constituencies were declared on November 12. Overall, 225 deputies have been elected on party lists...

President Viktor Yanukovych’s Regions Party following recent elections has failed to secure a simple majority in Parliament and will have to rely on independents and communists to form a pro-government coalition. The Regions Party will control 185 seats in the 450-seat Parliament, while three opposition parties will control a total of 178 seats, according to figures officially released by the Central Election Commission on Sunday. The Communist Party is set to control 32 seats, while independent lawmakers will hold 43 seats. Another 7 seats are to be controlled by four small parties, the figures show. Five seats will be decided at new elections in five majority districts after the CEC has failed to establish results there amid allegations of sweeping election fraud. The elections will take place after special legislation is approved, which may take months. The released data underscore a setback for the Regions Party, which has originally hoped to secure between 230 and 240 seats in the new Parliament, according to people familiar wit...