Kiev, Ukraine - Nowadays the center of Ukraine is dappling with flags of all possible colors. But the inhabitants of the country know that there are two main flags orange and white- blue.
October 31, 2004 there were presidential elections in Ukraine. Ukrainians had to choose between two main candidates - Victor Yanukovych – the sitting prime minister, who was supported by Leonid Kuchma – the outgoing president of Ukraine, and Viktor Yushenko, the leader of the Our Ukraine (Nasha Ukraina) faction, he also was Ukrainian prime minister from 1999 to 2001.
Yanukovych collected 39,32 % and Yushenko 39.87. So as none of the candidates received more than 50 % , the second votes were called for.
After the second votes were called for, politicians started making coalitions. Yushenko was supported by Oleksandr Moroz (Socialist Party of Ukraine) also Julia Timoshenko – another popular opposition leader joined the coalition. She was promised to get the post of prime minister under the Victor Yushenko presidency.
November 22, 2004 the Elections took place, and November 23 people started protesting against the results. The reason for protesting was information about corruption and unfairness of the vote process.
November 23, hundreds thousands of people went to the streets to support leaders of the opposition.
December 26. 2004 as the result of revote Victor Yushenko became Ukrainian president.
In the Spring of 2007 a political crisis began. It was a result of long struggle for power between the President and Parliament. The culmination was reached on April 2, when Yushenko signed a decree about dissolution of Parliament and an off-year election in the future.
Now the country is separated. The East and South which support the opposition are separated from the West that supports the presidential party. Kiev is the epicenter of events. Long and beautiful Kreshatik street is separated in the same way as the country – one square is occupied with white and blue, pink, and red flags. The second square exhibits orange flags and white flags with red hearts ( Julia Timoshenko party symbol).
So, the country is divided and people are separated in support of their respective leaders. But does anyone ask themselves the question – what will happen next? For example if one party gets the power and starts running the country … who will lead and in which direction? Will it lead to a separated nation? Separated lands? People who have lost their connection? People that don’t associate themselves with Ukraine but with one or another political party? Citizens that will not talk to their neighbors because they are holding different flags? Will Western Ukrainians not talk to Southern because their dialects sound a little bit different? Maybe someone will propose to build a separation wall? It will take years to get ready to reunite.
Maybe Ukrainians have forgotten that the Ukrainian flag is yellow and blue but not orange or white and blue?
Maybe they have forgotten that their flag symbolizes golden fields of corn under blue Ukrainian sky?
Let’s hope they didn’t! Let’s hope that they remember that they are one nation, one people, who live in their beautiful country. Let’s hope that their politicians understand that a political crisis leads to an economic one. That it is easy to create chaos but it is difficult to lead the country out of it. That it can take years for economy to recover. Let’s hope that Ukrainians remember that their country has a chance to become a member of the EU and of the WTO which could give support and help to the country to develop. However, no one will accept a politically unstable country to any serious organization.
So, let’s hope that Ukrainian leaders are not only playing big games but also working for the future of their country, of their people.
