Paraska Korolyuk
Encyclopedia
Paraska Vasylivna Korolyuk ; 5 May 1939—26 November 2010) was a Ukrainian
political activist and one of the iconic figures of Orange Revolution
. An enthusiastic supporter of the former Ukrainian President
Viktor Yushchenko
and Yulia Tymoshenko
, she became known after camping in the tent sit-in
s at Maidan Nezalezhnosti
for the revolution's entire duration and participating in political protests.
In 2005, acknowledging her contribution, Viktor Yushchenko awarded Korolyuk the Order of Princess Olga
3rd grade during a ceremony at the Mariyinsky Palace
in Kiev
. In March 2007 Korolyuk was accepted into Our Ukraine party. Despite the split between the Orange Revolution's leaders, Korolyuk remained a staunch defender of Yushchenko and Tymoshenko.
. For about twenty years Korolyuk has been working at a collective farm as a milkmaid, then as a watchman and on a radio station. During the Soviet era she was awarded the Veteran of Labour Medal
. From the end of the 70s up to the 90s she was on earnings in Kazakhstan
. On the eve of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election
Korolyuk much went through the villages of Central and Western Ukraine to gain the votes for Viktor Yushchenko. In 2005 she went to Maidan Nezalezhnosti with her three daughters. In the same year she met the former Ukrainian First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko and presented some embroidered pieces to her. Kateryna Yushchenko in turn gave presents to Korolyuk’s grandchildren. Korolyuk spent several months travelling all across Ukraine to raise support for Yushchenko. Yushchenko's decision to dismiss Tymoshenko as the Prime Minister of Ukraine
motivated Korolyuk to travel to Kiev with the hope of reconciling the Orange Revolution's leaders.
In her travels Korolyuk did not have a clear itinerary as her plans were prone to frequent changes. She, however, was always returning to Kiev to visit the president, pass along presents from herself or other people and tell him the public opinion. Korolyuk once said she sometimes waited for hours near the Presidential Secretariat building for the president to appear. Korolyuk left six grandchildren.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
political activist and one of the iconic figures of Orange Revolution
Orange Revolution
The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate aftermath of the run-off vote of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election which was claimed to be marred by massive corruption, voter...
. An enthusiastic supporter of the former Ukrainian President
President of Ukraine
Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the...
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
and Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...
, she became known after camping in the tent sit-in
Sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met...
s at Maidan Nezalezhnosti
Maidan Nezalezhnosti
Maidan Nezalezhnosti is the central square of Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine. One of the main city squares, it is located on the Khreschatyk Street...
for the revolution's entire duration and participating in political protests.
In 2005, acknowledging her contribution, Viktor Yushchenko awarded Korolyuk the Order of Princess Olga
Order of Princess Olga
The Order of Princess Olga is a Ukrainian civil decoration, featuring Olga of Kiev and bestowed to women for "personal merits in state, production, scientific, educational, cultural, charity and other spheres of social activities, for upbringing children in families"...
3rd grade during a ceremony at the Mariyinsky Palace
Mariyinsky Palace
Mariyinsky Palace is an official ceremonial residence of the President of Ukraine in Kiev and adjoins the neo-classical building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine...
in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. In March 2007 Korolyuk was accepted into Our Ukraine party. Despite the split between the Orange Revolution's leaders, Korolyuk remained a staunch defender of Yushchenko and Tymoshenko.
Life
Korolyuk was an inhabitant of Dorogichivtsy village in the Ukraine's Ternopil OblastTernopil Oblast
Ternopil Oblast is an oblast' of Ukraine. Its administrative center is Ternopil, through which flows the Seret River, a tributary of the Dnister.-Geography:...
. For about twenty years Korolyuk has been working at a collective farm as a milkmaid, then as a watchman and on a radio station. During the Soviet era she was awarded the Veteran of Labour Medal
Veteran of Labour Medal
The Veteran of Labour Medal was a medal of the USSR. It was established by a Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on 18 January 1974...
. From the end of the 70s up to the 90s she was on earnings in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
. On the eve of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election
Ukrainian presidential election, 2004
The Ukrainian presidential election, 2004 was held on October 31, November 21 and December 26, 2004. The election was the fourth presidential election to take place in Ukraine following independence from the Soviet Union...
Korolyuk much went through the villages of Central and Western Ukraine to gain the votes for Viktor Yushchenko. In 2005 she went to Maidan Nezalezhnosti with her three daughters. In the same year she met the former Ukrainian First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko and presented some embroidered pieces to her. Kateryna Yushchenko in turn gave presents to Korolyuk’s grandchildren. Korolyuk spent several months travelling all across Ukraine to raise support for Yushchenko. Yushchenko's decision to dismiss Tymoshenko as the Prime Minister of Ukraine
Prime Minister of Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
motivated Korolyuk to travel to Kiev with the hope of reconciling the Orange Revolution's leaders.
In her travels Korolyuk did not have a clear itinerary as her plans were prone to frequent changes. She, however, was always returning to Kiev to visit the president, pass along presents from herself or other people and tell him the public opinion. Korolyuk once said she sometimes waited for hours near the Presidential Secretariat building for the president to appear. Korolyuk left six grandchildren.