The State of Democracy in The State of Democracy in the Ukrainethe Ukraine

An Examination of Civil An Examination of Civil Society and the MediaSociety and the Media

Recep Aktas, Alesha Black, Shawn Mongin, Recep Aktas, Alesha Black, Shawn Mongin, Manmeet MehtaManmeet Mehta

Ukraine and the EUUkraine and the EU

Economic-EU is Economic-EU is Ukraine’s largest Ukraine’s largest Trading PartnerTrading Partner

Geographic-Ukraine Geographic-Ukraine is a bridge countryis a bridge country

Political-Ukraine is a Political-Ukraine is a Transitional Transitional Government that is Government that is Progressing toward Progressing toward DemocracyDemocracy

JustificationJustification

Objective: To advise the EU on the state Objective: To advise the EU on the state of democracy in Ukraine and make of democracy in Ukraine and make recommendations on the role of EU in that recommendations on the role of EU in that processprocessStructure: Civil Society and Media as Structure: Civil Society and Media as indicators of democratic healthindicators of democratic healthPerspectives: EU Expansion, Importance Perspectives: EU Expansion, Importance of Democratization of Eastern bloc statesof Democratization of Eastern bloc states

Ukraine BackgroundUkraine Background

1917 1921 1941-1944

1991 1994 1996 2004

Presidential Elections

Occupied by German forces

Revolution in Russia

Ukranian Soviet Socialist Republic formed

New Constitution and Currency

Ukranian independence is proclaimed

Orange Revolution

EU-Ukraine RelationsEU-Ukraine RelationsPartnership and Co-operation AgreementPartnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA(PCA), ), European Neighborhood Policy (ENP),European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), new patterns in the movement of people, capital, goods and servicesThe Action Plan would be the main tool for ENP The Action Plan would be the main tool for ENP implementation implementation The EU Supports Ukraine’s accession to the WTO, The EU Supports Ukraine’s accession to the WTO, and has provided technical assistance to this endand has provided technical assistance to this endUkraine’s EU prospect is Ukraine’s strategic goalUkraine’s EU prospect is Ukraine’s strategic goalArticle 49Article 49 of the Treaty on the European Union of the Treaty on the European Union

Orange RevolutionOrange Revolution

Orange RevolutionOrange RevolutionDirection of Ukraine takes Center stage in 2004 Direction of Ukraine takes Center stage in 2004 Presidential ElectionPresidential ElectionPrime Minister Viktor Yanukovych supports maintaining Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych supports maintaining ties to Russia, Opposition Candidate Viktor Yushchenko ties to Russia, Opposition Candidate Viktor Yushchenko promotes expanding relationship with EUpromotes expanding relationship with EUNov. 24, 2005 Election Board declares Yanukovych Nov. 24, 2005 Election Board declares Yanukovych Presdient by slim margin of victory, Western election Presdient by slim margin of victory, Western election observers allege wide scale voter fraud.observers allege wide scale voter fraud.Yushchenko supporters protest election results. Yushchenko supporters protest election results. Supporters cloaked in orange scarves peacefully lay Supporters cloaked in orange scarves peacefully lay siege to Government Buildingssiege to Government BuildingsSupreme Court requires new electionSupreme Court requires new electionDecember 26, 2005 Yushchenko wins PresidencyDecember 26, 2005 Yushchenko wins Presidency

Recent DevelopmentsRecent Developments

Sep. 2005 President Yushchenko's chief of staff resigns Sep. 2005 President Yushchenko's chief of staff resigns and makes corruption allegations against several senior and makes corruption allegations against several senior officials. officials. Sep. 2005 President Yushchenko dismisses Orange Sep. 2005 President Yushchenko dismisses Orange Revolution ally Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Revolution ally Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and her entire government.her entire government.Sep. 2005 President Yushchenko and Presidential rival, Sep. 2005 President Yushchenko and Presidential rival, former PM Victor Yanukovych, sign cooperation deal.former PM Victor Yanukovych, sign cooperation deal.Nov. 2005 At the Focus on Eastern Europe conference, Nov. 2005 At the Focus on Eastern Europe conference, Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said Switzerland wants to smooth the way for Ukraine's entry Switzerland wants to smooth the way for Ukraine's entry into Europe.into Europe.

MediaMedia

Current StateCurrent State

2551 Newspapers2551 Newspapers

1374 Magazines1374 Magazines

Internet Boom, 2.18 Internet Boom, 2.18 million internet usersmillion internet users

Media ControlMedia Control

Violence against Violence against JournalistsJournalists

Criteria for Media Criteria for Media HealthHealthFreedom House Freedom House Criteria: legal, Criteria: legal, political, economicpolitical, economic

Change in RatingChange in Rating

Cautious OptimismCautious Optimism

RecommendationsRecommendations

LanguageLanguageOwnership of mediaOwnership of mediaTaxesTaxesLicensureLicensurePress LawPress LawNGOs and WatchdogsNGOs and WatchdogsTrainingTraining

Civil Society & Democracy Civil Society & Democracy Edward Gibbon said of the ancient Athenians, when Edward Gibbon said of the ancient Athenians, when

the freedom they wished for most was freedom from the freedom they wished for most was freedom from responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free."responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free."

Citizen Sector ( The Third Sector)Citizen Sector ( The Third Sector)Participatory SocietyParticipatory SocietyFree and fair elections Free and fair elections Increasing the role of education Increasing the role of education Reorienting public administrators towards greater Reorienting public administrators towards greater citizen involvementcitizen involvement Expanding research into and conducting regular Expanding research into and conducting regular evaluations of the state of civil society itselfevaluations of the state of civil society itself

Mapping Civil Society : Post Orange Mapping Civil Society : Post Orange RevolutionRevolution

– 1 in 5 Ukrainians took part in protests in 1 in 5 Ukrainians took part in protests in November and December 2004 November and December 2004

– Freedom House Ranking: From 4.0(1997) to Freedom House Ranking: From 4.0(1997) to 3.0(2005)3.0(2005)

– Sep 2005, 40,000 NGO’s registered Sep 2005, 40,000 NGO’s registered – Changes in the rules of play / concept paperChanges in the rules of play / concept paper– Justice Ministry’s working groupJustice Ministry’s working group– NGO’s actively defend their rightsNGO’s actively defend their rights

Community councils attached to State Community councils attached to State Administrations Administrations Independent policy analysis of first 100 days of Independent policy analysis of first 100 days of PresidencyPresidencyGovernment – NGO Collaborations on Community Government – NGO Collaborations on Community DevelopmentDevelopmentForeign funded projects Foreign funded projects – EUEU– World BankWorld Bank– CIDACIDA

Mapping Civil Society : Post Mapping Civil Society : Post Orange RevolutionOrange Revolution

Civil Society - RecommendationsCivil Society - Recommendations

Continued engagement with civil society organizations – Continued engagement with civil society organizations – non-combativenon-combativeTechnical Assistance Technical Assistance – Capacity building and training government officialsCapacity building and training government officials– Models of participation, monitoring and assessmentModels of participation, monitoring and assessment

Human rights based approach to development – UNHuman rights based approach to development – UNPossible issuesPossible issues– Administrative reforms in system of institutions of public Administrative reforms in system of institutions of public

governancegovernance– Judicial reformJudicial reform– Policy making proceduresPolicy making procedures

Recommendations Recommendations

Broad RecommendationsBroad Recommendations

The “Big Picture”The “Big Picture”