THE GALICIAN ASSEMBLY (1991): ORIGINS, SPECULATIONS, RESOLUTIONS

Abstract

The author analyzed preconditions of the convening and activities of the common session of the Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Ternopil oblasts, better known in Ukrainian socio-political opinion as the Galician Assembly; characterized the composition of its participants. It is claimed that it's conducting indicates, de facto, the loss of control by the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) of those Western Ukrainian regions, in the oblast councils of which the majority gained representatives of national-democratic forces after the March 1990 elections to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and local authorities. The resolutions of the Galician Assembly with a clear subtext are considered. The idea of convening caused sharp criticism among the KPU, which accused the leadership of the Lviv Regional Council in general and V. Chornovil, in particular, in separatism, the desire to put into practice the concept of federalism, to take practical steps on withdrawing three Western Ukrainian regions from the USSR. The author draws on the speeches of the deputies of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Ternopil oblasts and states that most of them related to political aspects of Ukrainian state-making, were characterized by emotionality, and generally were positively welcomed by national-democratic forces. After the end of the Galician Assembly, the deputies of regional councils failed to continue to maintain regular contacts through consultation, seminars, and conferences on current political, social, and economic issues. The work of the newly established Regional Coordination Council, whose governing bodies were in Lviv, was also ineffective. Keywords: the Galician Assembly, Regional Council, V. Chornovil, resolution, consolidation.