Ukraine Elections 'Can't Be Called Honest'.....says the Pot to the Kettle

Scotsman.com ^ | Dec 22 04 | The Press Association

[Cutterjohnmhb]

Ukraine Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych has warned that Sunday’s presidential revote might not be considered fair because election law reforms aimed at preventing fraud could deprive millions of Ukrainians of their votes.

In Yanukovych’s eastern stronghold of Donetsk, meanwhile, supporters of the prime minister blocked an orange-draped convoy of opposition protesters from entering the industrial city, refusing to let the backers of his rival – Viktor Yushchenko – continue their campaign to rally support.

With four days to go until the Boxing Day court-ordered rerun, tensions are running high in this ex-Soviet republic of 48 million, located between the expanding European Union and a reinvigorated Russia.

In a pre-recorded televised address last night on state television, Yanukovych complained about the new restrictions on home voting that were passed by parliament earlier this month.

Abuse of home voting was one of the reasons leading to the Supreme Court’s decision to annul the November 21 presidential runoff, strip Yanukovych of his victory over Yushchenko and order Sunday’s unprecedented revote.

“The upcoming election can’t be called honest for many reasons,” Yanukovych said.

Yushchenko was scheduled to broadcast his campaign message tonight, after he and his supporters lead a rally in Kiev’s Independence Square that is expected to draw tens of thousands of supporters. The rally marks the one-month anniversary of the so-called “orange revolution” that began following the fraudulent runoff.

[Cutterjohnmhb]

I believe the parliament enacted voting reform laws to restict home voting to those actually homebound. Some reports are possibly as many as 1/3 of Yanukovych’s votes came from home voting.

[Jimmy Valentine]

The Donesk basin is the coal mining region of Ukraine.

The apparatchiks are browbeating the miners into voting for Yanukovich. Just like the good old union bosses in the Unuted States.

I'm suprised that John Sweeny [Pres. AFofL-CIO] isn't over there stumping for Yanukovich,

Regards,