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Orange Revolution
In November of 2004, a revolution erupted across Ukraine in response to rigging of the Presidential elections by the Kuchma administration. Called the Orange Revolution, it was, as author Anders Aslund writes, “Ukraine’s epic moment…People learned that Ukraine was a brave, well-organized, peaceful, and democratic nation of high ideals… It was a moment of national euphoria and pride" (9).
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| The Orange Revolution was "Ukraine's epic moment." |
Opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who had initially been denied victory by Kuchma’s corruption, took the presidency. His presidency represents the most progressive time in Ukraine’s history. He abolished forms of presidential control over the media instituted by Kuchma, including the practice of issuing temnyky. Newspapers and TV channels were allowed for more criticism of the government and politicians than in the Kuchma era, and many oligarchs who were friendly with Kuchma had to (temporarily) withdraw from the media sphere. It was around this time that Ukrainian TV channels had begun to operate as conventional businesses (1).
Yushchenko also strove for continued movement away from Russia. He “presented himself during the Orange Revolution as a champion of the pro-Western option" (12). The Orange Revolution greatly improved Ukraine’s relations with the European Union, and Yushchenko wanted Ukraine to become a part of the EU.
Despite its hopeful beginnings, the Orange Revolution and Yushchenko’s presidency did not result in lasting change for Ukraine. The next five years were marked by political battles, position changes, and major rivalries. In 2008 a global financial crisis placed Ukraine’s economy on the brink of collapse as foreign investors pulled out.
In the most recent presidential elections, Yushchenko’s rival, Viktor Yanukovych, won out in an election divided along east/west lines. He proceeded to end the “Orange period” of relative free press seen under Yushchenko, implementing a return to centralized control over the media (1). Yanykovych is also more sympathetic to Russia, and redirected Ukrainian policy to favor its eastern neighbor. The EU, which had been alienated by Ukraine’s political strife, was forgotten for a time. Yanukovych’s early presidency has ultimately been a backward step for Ukraine’s movement towards a unified, European identity and media freedoms.