Yushchenko Urges Ukrainians To Be Patient

KIEV, Ukraine -- President Viktor Yushchenko, marking the first anniversary of the Orange Revolution that helped bring him to power, said Tuesday that Ukrainians should be proud of the past year's accomplishments and they should be patient while reforms continue.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, during an interview with The Associated Press in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005
"There is no disappointment here," Yushchenko told The Associated Press in an interview in his office before celebrations marking the anniversary in downtown Kiev.

The euphoria that followed the one-time opposition figure's dramatic rise to the presidency has been followed by wide dissatisfaction with slower-than-desired reforms and infighting in his government.

Yushchenko, in the interview, said: "We have all that we need for change."

"Of course, it is difficult to change a country in 10 months," said Yushchenko, wearing a tie in the shade of bright orange.

Yushchenko took office in January after winning a court-ordered new election following disputed balloting that brought hundreds of thousands of his supporters into downtown Kiev for weeks of protest.

"Ukraine, maybe, has lived through the happiest year in its history," Yushchenko said, acknowledging that nostalgia was running high, especially Tuesday.

Thousands descended on Independence Square on Tuesday to mark the anniversary, many waving orange flags and wearing orange scarves.

"To be in opposition against somebody and ... make good speeches is one thing," he told AP. "To enter office and do what is sometimes a rather gray job is another issue, but it is important this work be effective and professional."

Yushchenko insisted that tasks remaining to be done, such as judicial reform and eliminating corruption, were to solve problems he inherited.

"They were not created by Independence Square," Yushchenko said.

One issue that continues to haunt Yushchenko is the breakup of the Orange Revolution partners, particularly his fallout with the popular politician, Yulia Tymoshenko, who has moved into the opposition since Yushchenko fired her as prime minister in September.

"It is pity that mutual accusations were put forward, which caused both teams to lose their reputations," Yushchenko said. "Today when we talk about the revolution anniversary, I'd like all sides to use it to form one voice on the square, for each political force despite the personal ambitions of its leader to understand a very simple thing: Only solidarity brings success."

Yushchenko's party is in talks with Tymoshenko's bloc about reuniting in a coalition after March's parliamentary election, but Tymoshenko's demand that she again become prime minister remains a stumbling block.

He said he could work with her again "if the mistakes that were made were taken into account."

Source: AP