Presidential hopefuls swap charges at poll
Source: Agencies |
February 8, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
UKRAINE'S presidential candidates traded sensational and sometimes dubious charges of intimidation and fraud as the country went to the polls yesterday to choose between two candidates deeply divided over the country's five-year drive to build a Western-style society.
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who became an international figure during the 2004 pro-Western Orange Revolution, would almost certainly continue her country's faltering efforts to join Europe. She also wants to help shape a Ukrainian identity independent of Russian history, language and culture.
The candidates are most divided over domestic policy.
Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych and Tymoshenko are both likely to restore closer economic and security ties with Moscow.
The candidates have traded charges of vote manipulation. Both vowed to rally thousands of supporters after the vote if they suspect their opponent of trying to steal the victory. Both are also expected to file court challenges if they lose.
Opinion polls have been banned in the run-up to the vote but analysts predicted a tight race.
Tymoshenko's campaign manager charged her rival's supporters with killing a member of her staff in the early hours of election day, but police said the man died of heart failure.
Tymoshenko's forces also accused her rival's camp of blocking up to 1,000 of her supporters from taking their seats on local election boards in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, a Yanukovych stronghold. The Yanukovych campaign has denied comment.
Yanukovych's campaign charged that Tymoshenko supporters delivered ballots to polling stations that had incorrect numerical codes, giving officials an excuse to declare them invalid.
Earlier in the morning at a Kiev polling station, four female members of the activist group FEMEN staged a protest by stripping to the waist. "This is the end of democracy!" they shouted, in protest at what they said is the widespread manipulation of the democratic system.
Many expected a close and disputed vote that could spawn street protests and a court battle.
If the protests are prolonged or violent, the unrest could further aggravate Ukraine's political and economic troubles.
The country has suffered from years of a deeply divided and paralyzed government, and is reeling under the blows of one of the global economic crisis.
Many independent voters say they are weary of five years of tumultuous rule by the blond-braided politician and her Orange ally, President Viktor Yuschenko, and by the unfulfilled promises of the street protests of 2004.
Yanukovych's election as president five years ago triggered the mass Orange demonstrations, and his win was thrown out on grounds of massive election fraud.
Yanukovych polled 10 percentage points ahead of Tymoshenko in January's first round of the current elections.
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who became an international figure during the 2004 pro-Western Orange Revolution, would almost certainly continue her country's faltering efforts to join Europe. She also wants to help shape a Ukrainian identity independent of Russian history, language and culture.
The candidates are most divided over domestic policy.
Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych and Tymoshenko are both likely to restore closer economic and security ties with Moscow.
The candidates have traded charges of vote manipulation. Both vowed to rally thousands of supporters after the vote if they suspect their opponent of trying to steal the victory. Both are also expected to file court challenges if they lose.
Opinion polls have been banned in the run-up to the vote but analysts predicted a tight race.
Tymoshenko's campaign manager charged her rival's supporters with killing a member of her staff in the early hours of election day, but police said the man died of heart failure.
Tymoshenko's forces also accused her rival's camp of blocking up to 1,000 of her supporters from taking their seats on local election boards in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, a Yanukovych stronghold. The Yanukovych campaign has denied comment.
Yanukovych's campaign charged that Tymoshenko supporters delivered ballots to polling stations that had incorrect numerical codes, giving officials an excuse to declare them invalid.
Earlier in the morning at a Kiev polling station, four female members of the activist group FEMEN staged a protest by stripping to the waist. "This is the end of democracy!" they shouted, in protest at what they said is the widespread manipulation of the democratic system.
Many expected a close and disputed vote that could spawn street protests and a court battle.
If the protests are prolonged or violent, the unrest could further aggravate Ukraine's political and economic troubles.
The country has suffered from years of a deeply divided and paralyzed government, and is reeling under the blows of one of the global economic crisis.
Many independent voters say they are weary of five years of tumultuous rule by the blond-braided politician and her Orange ally, President Viktor Yuschenko, and by the unfulfilled promises of the street protests of 2004.
Yanukovych's election as president five years ago triggered the mass Orange demonstrations, and his win was thrown out on grounds of massive election fraud.
Yanukovych polled 10 percentage points ahead of Tymoshenko in January's first round of the current elections.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
