COSSACKS PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT
ICTV television, Kiev, in Ukrainian 1545 gmt 4 Jun 05 BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Sat, Jun 04, 2005
KIEV - [Presenter] Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, along with cabinet ministers and other top officials, is on a visit to Zaporizhzhya. His first stop is Khortytsya Island [on the Dnieper], the cradle of Ukrainian Cossacks. The president checked the progress of renovation [Khortytsya is a Cossack memorial], signed a decree setting up the council of Ukrainian Cossacks and took charge of the council.
Five years ago the Ukrainian president joined Ukrainian Cossacks but before the presidential election he was expelled for systematic failure to pay membership dues. This time, Viktor Yushchenko received a horse as a gift, while [Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko] was called the female symbol of Ukraine.
[Correspondent] Yushchenko took children and cabinet ministers on his Zaporizhzhya trip. Most of the day the guests were familiarizing themselves with Cossack customs and checking the progress of the Zaporizhzhya Sich [Cossack stronghold] restoration. Until recently, specialists have argued how the memorial should look, should it be an exact replica of some specific Sich or a compilation of all of them. The restoration project has finally been agreed by all agencies.
[Culture Minister Oksana Bilozir] The review of the project is over, all fine points have been agreed. Today we can see where they will be and how beautiful they will look like. So everything looks fine.
[Correspondent] The president greeted Cossack leaders, who gathered today, with his youngest son Taras in his hands. Cossacks from across Ukraine pledged loyalty to Yushchenko and recognized him as their hetman.
[Yushchenko, wearing a Ukrainian ethnic shirt with his son in his hands] Today I have signed a decree setting up the council of Ukrainian Cossacks, consisting of representatives of Cossack organizations, and appointing a presidential adviser for Cossack issues. I want their work to become a bridge linking Cossacks with the authorities and public organizations. Do you agree with this, Cossacks and commanders?
[Cossacks shouting: Yes! Yes! Yes!]
[Correspondent] Yushchenko's attention to the history of Cossacks has not just a patriotic but also purely personal background. The president says that dozens of his predecessors were Cossacks of the Kostyantyniv Hundred, Lubny Regiment. -30- [The Action Ukraine Report Monitoring Service]
http://www.orangerevolution.us/blog/_archives/2005/6/7/916651.html
Nu, zayats, pogodi!
____________________________________________________ Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs