Ukraine's fraudulent elections

[zulu9812]

from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4031981.stm
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have thronged major cities, protesting at an election result they consider flawed. Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko told supporters to stage a civil disobedience campaign. The cities of Kiev and Lviv refused to recognise the official victory for Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.

While Russia accepted the result, a US observer alleged "concerted and forceful" fraud, and the EU called on Ukraine to review Sunday's election. "We are very concerned about the news we have had about the outcome," said Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot, representing the EU. He said all 25 EU member states would be calling in Ukrainian ambassadors "to convey our message of serious concern".

Moscow, which backed Prime Minister Yanukovych, recognised the election result. "I have congratulated Viktor Yanukovych for his victory," said President Vladimir Putin's personal envoy, Boris Gryzlov.

Observers for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Sunday's run-off vote fell far short of European democratic norms.

Mr Yushchenko, seen as the pro-Western candidate, told thousands of people who braved sub-zero temperatures in the capital, Kiev, not to leave the rally "until victory". "We are launching an organised movement of civil resistance," he said, denouncing what he called the "total falsification" of the vote which followed days of acrimonious wrangling over the results of the first round.

Kiev city council refused to recognise the results, and urged parliament to follow suit. Thousands of people turned onto the streets in the western city of Lviv, where the city council said it would only take orders from Mr Yushchenko.

The central electoral commission said with more than 99% of the vote counted, Mr Yanukovych had 49.4% while Mr Yushchenko had 46.7%. But the opposition says it has recorded many thousands of irregularities - including very high turnouts in government strongholds.

Mr Yanukovych was backed by incumbent President Leonid Kuchma. Exit polls earlier suggested that Mr Yushchenko had been on course for victory with a lead of at least six percentage points.

"The second round did not meet a considerable number of [international] commitments for democratic elections," said Bruce George, head of the OSCE mission in Kiev. The OSCE also reported serious irregularities in the first round. "The abuse of state resources in favour of the prime minister continued, as well as an overwhelming media bias in his favour," Mr George said.

The group said Sunday's violations also included intimidation of observers and voters. The authorities are investigating the killing of a policeman who was guarding ballot papers in a village in central Ukraine. The motive for the killing is not known.


Mr Yushchenko's supporters say they do not believe the official turnout figure of 96% in eastern Ukraine. "I believe in my victory but the government... has staged total fraud in the elections in the [eastern] Donetsk and Lugansk regions," Mr Yushchenko said.
Kiev was on high alert, with extra police and soldiers on the streets, and riot vehicles outside the central electoral commission.

During the campaign, Mr Yushchenko, prime minister between 1999 and 2001, claimed to have been the victim of intimidation and dirty tricks, including an alleged poisoning attempt. His critics portray him as an American puppet who will do anything to gain power, including inciting civil unrest.

 

[zulu9812]

from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4021767.stm
Ukrainians voted in the second round of their hotly contested presidential election on Sunday. With nearly all the votes counted, the authorities say Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych has a narrow lead. But Western monitors said the vote fell far short of European democratic norms.

Q: Who are the contenders?

Mr Yanukovych, and a former prime minister and leader of the centre-right Our Ukraine opposition, Viktor Yushchenko, went head to head after a field of more than 20 candidates was eliminated in the first round on 31 October.

Widespread government pressure and electoral-roll irregularities were reported then and results were not announced until 10 days later. Mr Yushchenko emerged ahead of Mr Yanukovych by just 39.87 % to 39.32 %.

With 99% of the second-round votes counted, Mr Yanukovych had 49.4% while Mr Yushchenko was on 46.7%, according to the central electoral commission.

The winner will replace Leonid Kuchma, who has run the country for 11 years as prime minister, then president.

Experts say the poll will decide whether Ukraine moves closer to the West - as Mr Yushchenko wants - or towards Moscow, under Mr Yanukovych.

Q: How powerful is the post?

Ukraine is a presidential republic and the head of state has the power to appoint and dismiss ministers and regional governors, as well as to initiate legislation.

The government, the Socialists and the Communists have been pressing for reforms which would transfer many powers to parliament.

The centre-right opposition opposed them but Mr Yushchenko agreed to phase them in next year in return for Socialist support in the election.

Q: What is the system?

All Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and above are allowed to vote. There are about 36 million registered voters.

Candidates with criminal records are barred. Mr Yanukovych served two prison terms in his youth but he says the convictions were quashed and the records erased. The opposition made this a campaign issue.

Q: How was the campaign?

Acrimonious, with personal attacks and allegations flying thick and fast.

Mr Yushchenko twice accused the authorities of trying to kill him but the authorities denied this.

In turn, they have accused broadly pro-Yushchenko groups of plotting "terrorist attacks", such as the bombing of a major Kiev market in August in which 13 people were injured.

Mr Yanukovych and Mr Yushchenko both say they will boost economic growth, create jobs, maintain good relations with both Russia and the West, respect the Russian language and withdraw peacekeepers from Iraq.

They differ in emphasis, with Mr Yushchenko calling for immediate troop withdrawals and a war on the "bandits" he says are using the government to get rich through corruption.

Since the end of October, Mr Yanukovych has stepped up efforts to appeal to Ukraine's large number of Russian-speakers, who mainly live in the east of the country.

Q: Who monitored the poll?

The candidates themselves and registered foreign observers were allowed to nominate monitors.

Independent domestic observers were not allowed and local rights groups complained of a pro-government bias among monitors.

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE), the Council of Europe and various independent observers have been highly critical of the way the vote was run. CIS observers, however, gave the authorities a much gentler ride.

Q: How fair was the vote?

The first round triggered a barrage of complaints against the Electoral Commission.

As a result, it promised to update electoral rolls to remove dead people and include the tens of thousands who said they were not registered.

The opposition was sceptical and called on the public to check the lists themselves before polling day.

After the vote, Bruce George of the OSCE said: "The second round did not meet a considerable number of [international] commitments for democratic elections."

Q: What of the media?

Channels linked to the president gave Mr Yanukovych glowing coverage in the run-up to the election and until recently disparaged Mr Yushchenko at every turn.

After the first round of voting, however, a group of reporters on pro-government channels demanded fairer reporting and observers said they detected a change in tone.

But Mr Yanukovych still received more extensive and uncritical coverage. Pro-government television stations sandwiched Mr Yushchenko's political adverts between those attacking him personally.

Only one national channel, 5 Kanal, has given Mr Yushchenko consistently positive coverage. It is owned by a Yushchenko ally, and has faced closure following what it calls a government campaign against it.

Q: What does the public make of it all?

Polls since the first round show a narrow lead for one candidate or the other - seen by some as reflecting the polling companies' own preferences.

Mr Yanukovych won the industrial east and south of the country in the first round, and was expected to pick up support from the Communist and some Socialist voters. Mr Yushchenko took the western and central areas, as well as the capital Kiev.

He claims that he won an outright victory in the first round which the authorities concealed by rigging the vote.

Q: What's the view from abroad?

Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a controversial visit to Kiev on the eve of the first round, praised Mr Yanukovych's record in office and endorsed many of his policies.

He paid a further visit to Crimea on 11 November, where he was heard to wish Mr Yanukovych all the best in the election.

Moscow has so far offered no official criticism of the election.

The United States and the European Union, on the other hand, have made it clear that a fraudulent election will damage relations.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Well, obviously Putin isn't affraid to make of Ukraine a kind of large Belarus.

The European Union should express it's dissatisfaction towards the latest result. I would even favor to threaten Moscow to be fired of the Council of Europe since the purpose of that Council is to promote democracy and that doesn't seem to be a Russian priority.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

99% turnout is as fancyful as Saddam Hussein's 100% "reelection". The Ukraine has a serious democracy problem. The country is essentially split in two, with the west voting Yuschenko and East Yanokovici. Some analysts are even talking of Ukraine splitting for real, which would be a greater, albeit less likely threat. All in all, I did hope the reformist win (and he probably did), as Romania is now in the middle of a dispute* with Ukraine; pro-western, more peaceful leaders is what the country needs to reach an agreement.

*Even now there are gunboats from both sides patroling the Danube border and a crisis could erupt if there is one trigger-happy capitain or if the Kiev president wants to divert public attention with an open conflict.

 

[Pangur Bán]

Erm ... yeah.

Mr Yushchenko is backed by the West because he's anti-Russia (rather than pro-western). His supporters seem to be already sure they've won, even though the authorities say they've lost. That's kind of odd. They don't know the precise details, but they're already planning to ignore the decision. I heard the BBC report tonight. It had me in stitches. The journalists were so naive. They did not mention that Yushchenko and his supporters have had the same number of complaints about them as the Yanukovych side. There is huge controversy in the east that Yushchenko's supporters have been rigging votes in the west. Only, all of these are detailed in Russian (the language of the east) by Russian electionr reporters, and are not consulted by western reporters. On the other hand, the so-called "independent" authorities like the "Commitee of Ukrainian Voters" (funded by the American government ) and the discredited OSCE are anti-Yanukovych, and act as an international mouthpiece for the Yushchenko side.

The Yushchenko side are already planning to ignore the people's decision. That is the frightening thing. They're the ones who want to undermine democracy. Their activists go about the streets in cities like Lvov skinheaded or in balaclavas, carrying guns, intimidating the population. The idea that Yushchenko is the nice, pro-progress, liberal reformist is the product of pure ignorance.

Yeah, Ukrainian elections are f***ed, but it's not because of tyrannous Yanukovych or Putin, but because both sides and their international allies are quite happy to tolerate their own side's malpractice.

 

[Reno]

Really sad to have Ukraine continue as the puppet state of Russia.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Economist article on the subject

calgacus: Got any sources for that, let's say, unusual description of affairs?

 

[amadeus]

The more things change, the more they stay the same, huh.

 

[A'AbarachAmadan]

Disappointing. Seems Russia and a few hencemen and heading back towards oppression.

 

[Gelion]

The Yushchenko side are already planning to ignore the people's decision. That is the frightening thing. They're the ones who want to undermine democracy. Their activists go about the streets in cities like Lvov skinheaded or in balaclavas, carrying guns, intimidating the population. The idea that Yushchenko is the nice, pro-progress, liberal reformist is the product of pure ignorance.

Yeah, Ukrainian elections are f***ed, but it's not because of tyrannous Yanukovych or Putin, but because both sides and their international allies are quite happy to tolerate their own side's malpractice.

Totally agree with this. I wonder how many of those who posted here watch the news from the Russian/Urkanian side and how many really think how biased the media is? In the West (self-proclaimed Demcratical West) there's a good proverb it seems: "when in doubt blame Russia". I agree 100% when the Yushcenko himself might be a good man some of his supporters a plan skinheads. Is that what the West is supporting?

Also about "Russian Impreralism". I understand that when a region wants to break away from Russia its called "self-determination". But why is Abhazian and South Osetian cases are called "unjustified" claims of non existant people. Double standarts still exist ladies and gentlemen and lets not forget that they are mutual.

 

[Winner]

Almost exactly year ago, there was a revolution in Georgia against polls manipulated by Sevarnadze.

Strange coincidence, I hope Ukrainian people will put this corrupted government under pressure and force them to resign, without much violence preferably.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Totally agree with this. I wonder how many of those who posted here watch the news from the Russian/Urkanian side and how many really think how biased the media is? In the West (self-proclaimed Demcratical West) there's a good proverb it seems: "when in doubt blame Russia". I agree 100% when the Yushcenko himself might be a good man some of his supporters a plan skinheads. Is that what the West is supporting?

Also about "Russian Impreralism". I understand that when a region wants to break away from Russia its called "self-determination". But why is Abhazian and South Osetian cases are called "unjustified" claims of non existant people. Double standarts still exist ladies and gentlemen and lets not forget that they are mutual.

Well, personally, Ukraine isn't in my personal agenda so whether one or the other win is not my problem. When it becomes a problem to me, it's when frauds are found. And especially when those frauds are coming from a foreign country (Ukraine is officialy no part of Russia anymore).

 

[Winner]

BTW I am afraid that Russia constitues a growing threat to EU. Putin's authocratic tendencies, growing regional imperialism (Belarus, Georgia, Central Asie, Ukraine) is colliding with European interests. Russia has even threatened Baltic states and discouraged them of joining EU and NATO.

We should watch them closely...

 

[Sims2789]

Funny that a non-democratic state such as Russia supports the guy against parliamentary power. As of now, I am inclined to believe the oppossition, pro-Western guy, but I really need to see some more information.

 

[Gelion]

Funny that a non-democratic state such as Russia supports the guy against parliamentary power. As of now, I am inclined to believe the opossition, pro-Western guy, but I really need to see more information.

As far as I'm concerned Putins and Bushes policies are not that different and they seem to like each other.

 

[Gelion]

BTW I am afraid that Russia constitues a growing threat to EU. Putin's authocratic tendencies, growing regional imperialism (Belarus, Georgia, Central Asie, Ukraine) is colliding with European interests. Russia has even threatened Baltic states and discouraged them of joining EU and NATO.

We should watch them closely...

Well as far as Russia is concerned she is surrounded by by anti-Russian governments in georgia and the Baltic states. Not going to take this point nay futher. Winner I take it in Chech Republic you do hear the news about Baltic aparteid against Russians. Tell me why Russia shouldn't be concerned about the elections where 33% of population (at least) are Russian?

P.S. I'm for the EU before you ask even if Russia is not allowed in yet.

 

[Marla_Singer]

As far as I'm concerned Putins and Bushes policies are not that different and they seem to like each other.

Indeed they are the greatest pals. As Condie has said, let's forgive Russia about Iraq.

Well, you can be buddies if you want.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

I suspect that by "not adhereing to Western standards", the so-called activists are merely complaining about the fact that their favored candidate was rejected by the Ukranian people.

You lost. Get over it. If you need to stir up trouble in already economically devastated eastern european countries to make yourselves feel better, then you are a total hypocrite.

 

[Marla_Singer]

I suspect that by "not adhereing to Western standards", the so-called activists are merely complaining about the fact that their favored candidate was rejected by the Ukranian people.

You lost. Get over it. If you need to stir up trouble in already economically devastated eastern european countries to make yourselves feel better, then you are a total hypocrite.

Who are you talking to ?

If you're talking about me, I have absolutely no preference at all towards both candidates. Actually, as a European my life would be simpler if Belarus and Ukraine were still included in Russia.

My only problem is about the frauds. If all observers agree to say there had been frauds when the same ones haven't said a word about it in Venezuela, then I tend to believe there might be a problem.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

Who are you talking to ?

Bruce George et al.