The Last Hero

Last Thursday evening it was announced that President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine signed a decree to confer the title of Hero of Ukraine and the Order of State to Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn. The head of state thus marked the “head of the Ukrainian parliament’s outstanding personal contributions to Ukraine in promoting the state, reforming the political system, and instilling the ideals of civil unity and harmony in society,” the President’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine. In all probability, President Kuchma was referring above all to the role of Mr. Lytvyn in reaching the political compromise that resolved the election crisis in this country, as well as promoting the political reform proposed by the president on August 24, 2002. On December 8, 2004, the Verkhovna Rada, with Mr. Lytvyn presiding, passed the proposed amendments to the Constitution and, under pressure from the opposition, amendments to the law on presidential elections by a majority of 402 votes. The speaker himself is satisfied with the result. “With this decision we showed that there are neither winners nor losers. The people and Ukraine won,” he told New Channel.

Although the current head of state still has enough time before the inauguration of a new president of Ukraine (of course, if the rerun is held on Dec. 26), it is quite possible that Mr. Lytvyn stands every chance of being the last hero of the Kuchma era.