| Резюме: | A COURT ruling in Ukraine on March 28th further erodes not only the Orange revolution’s political gains, but its symbols. Celebrated on November 22nd, the anniversary of the Orange Revolution, Freedom Day (or Den Svobody in Ukrainian) is a holiday created by President Viktor Yushchenko in 2005 to mark the “historic significance of the revolutionary events of autumn 2004”. Every year, crowds have reassembled on Kiev's Maidan to commemorate the political victory, and by implication to denounce electoral fraud, abuse of power and interference from Russia. The first shadows appeared in November 2011, when local authorities banned the celebrations and fenced off the central square. A month later, President Viktor Yanukovich issued a decree merging the holiday with another one, on January 22nd, to form the Day of Unity and Freedom of Ukraine. Svitlana Nikolina, a regional politician, tried to contest the move but yesterday the Upper Administrative Court ruled that the decree does not conflict with Ukrainian law and is therefore valid. read more  |