The Economic Policy of Ukraine after the Orange Revolution

A prominent specialist on economic transition in the former Soviet Union dis-cusses changes in Ukraine’s economic policy in the aftermath of Viktor Yushchenko’s acces-sion to that country’s presidency in January 2005. The author relates his recent (through mid-June 2005) observations as co-chair of the UN’s Blue Ribbon Commission for Ukraine. He analyzes the country’s macroeconomic stability and growth since 2000, the regional divide, the winner’s election program, the impact of the oligarchs, and the unexpected populism of the new government, which prompted re-privatization, price controls, and fiscal excesses.