Quote: On a typical day she may chair a cabinet meeting, visit coal miners or fly to Brussels for a summit. But before she steps out of her home, she sculpts her rich blond hair into a peasant-style braid. Only then does she become the prime minister every Ukrainian can instantly identify.
The hair is the high point of Yulia Tymoshenko's glamorous image. But she also has a steely, in-your-face resolve. It made her the heroine of the 2004 Orange Revolution that brought democracy to her country, and four months into her second premiership she continues to fascinate Ukrainians.
To her adoring supporters she's simply "Yulia," selfless fighter for democracy. The hairdo is more than just a fashion statement; it evokes a beloved symbol of Ukrainian identity — the humble, honest peasant.
Her critics say she's anything but humble and honest, seeing her as a corrupt and power-hungry opportunist. She was accused of enriching herself in corrupt energy deals in the 1990s, which earned her the nickname of "gas princess," and was briefly jailed seven years ago on money-laundering charges. (The charges, which she claims were politically motivated, were dropped.)
Her tenacity leads some to call her the Iron Lady, and Tymoshenko herself looks to Margaret Thatcher as a role model. Nowadays, however, Europe is getting used to women leaders — German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Finnish President Tarja Halonen, Moldovan Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanîi and Borjana Kristo, president of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
But none rules a country as divided as Ukraine, a former Soviet republic torn between its Europe-friendly west and pro-Russian east.
Full article: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/06/europe/EU-FEA-GEN-Ukraines-Iron-Lady.php
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