Ukrainian Christian Democratic Party(Ukrainian:Українська християнсько-демократична партія,Ukrayinska Khrystyianska Demokratychna Partiya;UKhDP) is a small political party ofUkrainian SSRandUkraine.It became a progenitor of the two other parties ofchristian democracysuchChristian Democratic Party of UkraineandChristian Democratic Union.The party became a powerful force in Ukraine during the1989 revolutionary waveinEuropeand contributed greatly to the revival of such Ukrainian cultural organizations asProsvita,Association of the Ukrainian Language, Plast as well as theUkrainian Greek Catholic Church.
Ukrainian Christian Democratic Party Українська християнсько-демократична партія | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Vasyl Sichko |
| Founded | 13 January 1989 |
| Ideology | Christian democracy |
In 1992 most of the party was transformed into theChristian Democratic Party of UkraineofVitaliy Zhuravsky,while the remnants existed until 2002 and according to some sources were merged with theUkrainian Republican Party Sobor.[1]
Historical outlook
editEstablishment
editIn November 1988 inDolynawas conducted assembly where former political prisoners Vasyl Sichko and Petro Sichko, members of theUkrainian Helsinki Group,who adapted the first program and statute of theUkrainian Christian Democratic Front.On November 14, 1988, Vasylko Sichko submitted the statute and program of the party to theSupreme Council of the Soviet Unionfor registration. On January 13, 1989, inLvivtook place the constituent congress of the Ukrainian Christian Democratic Front, head of which was elected Vasylko Sichko.
On April 21–22, 1990 inLvivtook place the second congress of the Ukrainian Christian Democratic Front where it was officially renamed in theUkrainian Christian Democratic Party.The number of members in 1990 accounted for around 2,000 people, while the party's cells were mostly located in theWestern Ukraine.By 1991 there were legally established and well organized party organizations ofIvano-FrankivskandIvano-Frankivsk Oblast,Lviv Oblast,Ternopil region and city. Much smaller offices (under 15 members) were also located inKhmelnytskyi,Cherkasy,Kyiv,Odessa,andVinnytsia.During that period sessions of the main governing council were not conducted that would provide a single monolith political strategy of the party and regional organizations acted on its own initiative. In June 1991 on official invitation of theAustrian political academyto the head of Lviv Oblast organization Mykola Boiko, several members of the UKhDP along withViktor Pynzenyk(instructor at theLviv University) were sent toViennafor study. It was the first international recognition of the Ukrainian Christian Democratic Party, yet it also created a drift between the party leader Sichko and the Lviv Oblast party leader Boiko. Eventually, in retaliation Sichko excluded Boiko from the party.
Split
editOn November 16, 1991, took place the third report-electoral conference of the Lviv Oblast organization of UKhDP, at which Boiko has officially resigned. While visiting the conference, Sichko protested and pointed to the fact that Boiko was already excluded from the party. The conference without addressing the Sichko's protest continued on and elected its new governing body. The new chairman of the Lviv oblast organization was elected former political prisoner Mykhailo Viter. Another former political prisonerIvan Helspoke very critical about Sichko actions. He pointed to the fact that Sichko denied in membership such people likeStepan Khmara(later the leader of theUkrainian Conservative Republican Party),Mykhailo Horynand many others. Ivan Hel said that in July 1991 he received an invitation from the Secretary General of theChristian Democratic International,Andre Louis, where for the purpose of establish relationship he asked to have the delegation not to include mister Vasyl Sichka. Negatively to the family of Sichko referred also His BeatitudeMyroslav Ivan Lubachivsky.
Rejection of the 3rd report-electoral conference of the UKhDP Lviv regional organization by head of UKhDP Vasyl Sichko led to the split in the organization. On December 10, 1991, the UKhDP Ternopil regional organization conducted its general council which recognized the legitimacy of the Lviv regional organization and the election of Mykhailo Viter, the head of the UKhDP Lviv regional organization and it also approved that cooperation and inter-relationship will only occur with the UKhDP Lviv regional organization headed by Mykhailo Viter.
See also
editReferences
editExternal links
edit- Hutor, M.Genesis of split in christian democratic parties.Agency of strategic research.
- Modern history of Ukraine
- Biletsky, M., Pohrebynsky, M.Establishment of government bodies in Ukraine 1991-1996.Kiev: "Ukrainian press-group", 1997.
- Harin, B.Beginning of formation of multi-party system in Ukraine."History of Ukraine".
- Kolodiy, A.Development of civil society.
- Minister of Justice signed orders on removal of another 5 parties from the Register of associations of citizens.Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
- Holobutsky, O., Kulyk, V.Chapter 2. Party-political spectrum of modern Ukraine. 2. Right-wing parties.Political Parties of Ukraine. Oleksiy Holobutsky website.