This Article, written in 2005, expresses the opinions and hopes of Ukrainians and international citizens about Ukraine’s future after the Orange Revolution. Four years on, how has the country progressed? Are these issues still relevant today? Has the revolution achieved what it set out to do?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/4321138.stm
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has pledged to implement a political reform programme that will devolve much of his powers to the prime minister and MPs.
Ukraine has seen a sharp decline in economic growth since Mr Yushchenko took power in January. Viktor Yushchenko was sworn in as president in early 2005 after huge numbers of protesters forced a rerun of the troubled 2004 election, in what came to be known as the Orange Revolution. But last month he sacked prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and her cabinet in a move that appeared to mark the end of the coalition that won the Orange Revolution.
What did the Orange Revolution achieve? Have much needed reforms been implemented? Should the Ukraine seek closer ties with Europe or a greater relationship with Russia?
Here’s a selection of international opinions on what the Orange Revolution achieved (or failed to achieve):
Remember that holding general elections does not make a country democratic - upholding the law and being honest by those who run the state machinery is! That means every level of the government must be accountable; the Judiciary impartial and the armed forces in their barracks!
The legacy of Communism will not be eradicated overnight. The Ukrainian people deserve a modern nation and need to continue the fight for change through uncertain economic times.
A move towards continuing a strong relationship with Russia might make more sense than attempting to do the impossible (ie go with an entirely free-market system), when the people of the Ukraine do not speak any language familiar to Europeans, or the rest of the world, with the exception of Russia.
Now Yushchenko has to face a biggest challenge: he has to go on with the process of democratisation of its country without the support of the public opinion. It will not be an easy task and the last test will be the next parliamentary elections.
Ukraine's future is looking good but it is really a country of two halves. The east is pro-Russia, and the west towards Europe. Quite honestly, the future belongs in both directions, as long as America keeps its nose out of Ukrainian affairs, then the people will be able to develop, as a country.
Change takes time, it is up to the people to make the changes and not the politicians, all the politicians are the same, they look after themselves first and the ordinary people second. The Orange Revolution showed what people can do when we work together. President Yushchenko made some difficult decisions and get Ukraine into the European way of life. Ukraine deserves to belong in Europe.
The last elections have changed the attitude of Ukrainian people towards politics forever. However, nothing is going to change economically and socially until "third world mentality" of the ruling elite is gone. There is a need for a change, but posts should be given to people most able to do the job, and not to those whose only advantage is support of Yuschenko during the elections. Respect to free press is essential, even if the point of their interest is life of president's son.
Many people in Ukraine had much different expectations after the Orange Revolution. They thought changes would come very quickly and there lives would become much better very soon. Unfortunately this doesn't work like this. It takes a lot of time and it is much too early to say if the Revolution has worked.
The Orange Revolution has shown to the world that the people of Ukraine can make a huge difference in government. It proved that it is democracy that prevails and not tyranny. It is the first time that Ukraine ever experienced any freedom like it has in after the Orange Revolution.
The very fact that much of this political turmoil has happened in the public eye, largely transparent to Ukraine's citizens and internationally, readily and openly analysed from various points of view in the media, and the fact that Yulia now has a real opportunity to win power back in the parliamentary shows that Ukraine has taken one huge step towards a true, transparent democracy, regardless of who the individual victors may be. The Orange Revolution should be seen an evolution and not simply a point in time.
It showed the Ukrainian people that they can overcome the past. The reforms have not been implemented because of the high corruption in the government. The Parliament is what is in the way of reforms actually being accomplished. There are too many people in the government who were supporters of Yanakovich and they are blocking the way for reforms to happen. Ukraine is still run by the mafia and until the mafia is broken the country will not be totally free. Ukraine should focus first on getting themselves together as a nation. Relations should be made with both Russia and Europe, but first they need to focus their attention on the issues that are plaguing their own country. It shouldn't be the EU or Russia before the Ukrainian people.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/4321138.stm
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has pledged to implement a political reform programme that will devolve much of his powers to the prime minister and MPs.
Ukraine has seen a sharp decline in economic growth since Mr Yushchenko took power in January. Viktor Yushchenko was sworn in as president in early 2005 after huge numbers of protesters forced a rerun of the troubled 2004 election, in what came to be known as the Orange Revolution. But last month he sacked prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and her cabinet in a move that appeared to mark the end of the coalition that won the Orange Revolution.
What did the Orange Revolution achieve? Have much needed reforms been implemented? Should the Ukraine seek closer ties with Europe or a greater relationship with Russia?
Here’s a selection of international opinions on what the Orange Revolution achieved (or failed to achieve):
Remember that holding general elections does not make a country democratic - upholding the law and being honest by those who run the state machinery is! That means every level of the government must be accountable; the Judiciary impartial and the armed forces in their barracks!
The legacy of Communism will not be eradicated overnight. The Ukrainian people deserve a modern nation and need to continue the fight for change through uncertain economic times.
A move towards continuing a strong relationship with Russia might make more sense than attempting to do the impossible (ie go with an entirely free-market system), when the people of the Ukraine do not speak any language familiar to Europeans, or the rest of the world, with the exception of Russia.
Now Yushchenko has to face a biggest challenge: he has to go on with the process of democratisation of its country without the support of the public opinion. It will not be an easy task and the last test will be the next parliamentary elections.
Ukraine's future is looking good but it is really a country of two halves. The east is pro-Russia, and the west towards Europe. Quite honestly, the future belongs in both directions, as long as America keeps its nose out of Ukrainian affairs, then the people will be able to develop, as a country.
Change takes time, it is up to the people to make the changes and not the politicians, all the politicians are the same, they look after themselves first and the ordinary people second. The Orange Revolution showed what people can do when we work together. President Yushchenko made some difficult decisions and get Ukraine into the European way of life. Ukraine deserves to belong in Europe.
The last elections have changed the attitude of Ukrainian people towards politics forever. However, nothing is going to change economically and socially until "third world mentality" of the ruling elite is gone. There is a need for a change, but posts should be given to people most able to do the job, and not to those whose only advantage is support of Yuschenko during the elections. Respect to free press is essential, even if the point of their interest is life of president's son.
Many people in Ukraine had much different expectations after the Orange Revolution. They thought changes would come very quickly and there lives would become much better very soon. Unfortunately this doesn't work like this. It takes a lot of time and it is much too early to say if the Revolution has worked.
The Orange Revolution has shown to the world that the people of Ukraine can make a huge difference in government. It proved that it is democracy that prevails and not tyranny. It is the first time that Ukraine ever experienced any freedom like it has in after the Orange Revolution.
The very fact that much of this political turmoil has happened in the public eye, largely transparent to Ukraine's citizens and internationally, readily and openly analysed from various points of view in the media, and the fact that Yulia now has a real opportunity to win power back in the parliamentary shows that Ukraine has taken one huge step towards a true, transparent democracy, regardless of who the individual victors may be. The Orange Revolution should be seen an evolution and not simply a point in time.
It showed the Ukrainian people that they can overcome the past. The reforms have not been implemented because of the high corruption in the government. The Parliament is what is in the way of reforms actually being accomplished. There are too many people in the government who were supporters of Yanakovich and they are blocking the way for reforms to happen. Ukraine is still run by the mafia and until the mafia is broken the country will not be totally free. Ukraine should focus first on getting themselves together as a nation. Relations should be made with both Russia and Europe, but first they need to focus their attention on the issues that are plaguing their own country. It shouldn't be the EU or Russia before the Ukrainian people.
Just as an update, I found a brief article in the NY Times from today [yesterday now; I wrote this last night but my connection cut off before I could post it]:
ReplyDeletePresident Viktor A. Yushchenko won a tactical victory Wednesday when a top court struck down the October date set by Parliament for the presidential election. The popularity of Mr. Yushchenko, left, has plummeted, and he remains locked in a political struggle with a former ally, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Parliament, in rare unity, voted overwhelmingly last month to hold the election on Oct. 25. But the president appealed to the Constitutional Court, saying the election should not take place until early next year. The court’s ruling appeared to back his position that under the Constitution, the vote should be in the last month of his fifth year in office; he became president in January 2005.--http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/world/europe/14briefs-ukraineelection.html?_r=1&ref=world
Yulia Tymoshenko was reelected as Prime Minister in 2007. There seems to be quite a bit of tension between Yuschenko and the Ukrainian Parliament - last year his party withdrew from the coalition with Tymoshenko's following a bill which would limit his powers and called for a snap election (though this did not eventuate as Parliament did not approve funding).* So there are still a few problems within Ukrainian politics but so long as it doesn't escalate it almost seems like a good sign in terms of its democracy - obviously the checks and balances system is working.
*Like a good scholar I got this information from Wikipedia.