From Warsaw (1989) to Kiev (2004) |
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Ukraine – one
of the biggest nations and an important member of international community – has elected
a new president. Usually elections are part of
democratic political routine. Not so in the case of Ukraine of November / December 2004.
An effort to falsify the elections result was met by a stark resistance of Ukrainians
citizens, who peacefully yet forcefully claimed their right to choose their leader freely.
The transatlantic community in display of unity and solidarity with Ukrainian people
refused to accept election results that involved a massive fraud. It dispatched its
mediators, who helped finding a way out of the crisis and facilitated a new round of the
presidential elections. Poland was at the forefront of these efforts. In the course of few last weeks, Ukraine transformed itself from
a post-soviet country into a free sovereign nation with an increasingly stronger civil
society. “for thirteen years we have been independent, now we are free, too” – said
newly elected Ukrainian president Victor Youschenko. “The Orange Revolution” sends a
powerful message that freedom, democracy, transparent free
market economy and human rights are not alien to the nations, which emerged from
Soviet empire. Neither historical nor cultural peculiarities can justify a denial of these
liberties and rights to people living east from the current EU line. Ukraine should not be
seen as a geopolitical prize in a contest between East and West, not only because such a
view is inconsistent |
with
modernity. Free and sovereign Ukraine is no threat to its neighbors, but surly is an
inspiration to nations and their leaders in the region in their quest for solutions to the
present challenges. Today, many European and American politicians ponder the future
of Ukraine. It is now a newly discovered item on the agenda of the European and
Transatlantic institutions such as: the European Union, NATO, OSCE and Council of Europe.
And rightly so. Ukraine is facing difficult tasks in laying a solid foundation of a
genuine democracy. The transatlantic community passed the test in facilitating a
non-violent resolution to the political crisis. Now it faces an even greater challenge how
to seize the momentum created by the “Orange Revolution”, so that it becomes the point
of departure for a historic transformation comparable to that of Poland in annus mirabilis
1989. It is important that we offer Ukraine a robust package of assistance for a closer
integration that matches the significance of the historic change there. It is good for
Ukraine, its good for the transatlantic community. Fifteen years ago, only few dared to dream about Poland and Lithuania becoming
members of NATO and European Union in the foreseeable future. Now, it is time for
decisions- Ukraine in NATO by 2012, in the EU by 2020? Impossible. Why don’t we just
say: “a dream….”. |
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