ELECTION WATCH (09/19/04)

ELECTION WATCH

Government accused of planning to spy

POLTAVA - National Deputy Valerii Asadchev, head of Viktor Yushchenko's campaign headquarters in Poltava, said on September 13 that he has obtained a document from the Poltava Oblast State Administration ordering that foreign observers of the presidential elections be placed under surveillance, UNIAN reported. The document reportedly tells regional authorities to collect information on visits and meetings of foreign election monitors in the regions, as well as on their comments and assessments of the election campaign. According to Mr. Asadchev, the instruction refers to the entire executive structure in the country and originates from relevant decisions made within the Cabinet of Ministers in July and August. "The election headquarters of Prime Minister [Viktor Yanukovych] is in the Cabinet of Ministers, which is against the law," Mr. Asadchev said. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yushchenko recovers from poisoning

KYIV - Our Ukraine head and presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko will resume touring Ukrainian regions later this week, UNIAN reported on September 13, quoting Yushchenko spokeswoman Iryna Heraschenko. According to Ms. Heraschenko, Mr. Yushchenko recently fell ill because of what doctors said was "acute poisoning." Ms. Heraschenko added that the candidate is now in good physical shape and ready to continue his election campaign trips. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Our Ukraine warns of provocation

KYIV - Our Ukraine official Taras Stetskiv warned on September 8 of an upcoming rally by a radical nationalist group that he suggested is aimed at tainting Our Ukraine leader Viktor Yushchenko by associating his presidential bid with extreme nationalism, Interfax reported. Mr. Stetskiv told journalists that the Ukrainian National Assembly (UNAssembly) party plans to stage a rally and a march in Kyiv on September 9 at which assembly members are to shout anti-Russian and anti-Semitic slogans and express unsolicited support for Mr. Yushchenko. "The [Ukrainian National Assembly's] goal is obvious: to discredit presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko," Mr. Stetskiv said, according to Interfax. He added that Our Ukraine has notified foreign embassies in Kyiv of the assembly's purported plans. National Deputy Yurii Kliuchkovskyi of the Our Ukraine bloc on September 9 called on the Internal Affairs Ministry, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Procurator General's Office to prevent the UNAssembly action. "This is their last chance to prove that they are law enforcement bodies, not a department in the [presidential-campaign] staff of [Prime Minister] Viktor Yanukovych for the organization of provocations," Mr. Kliuchkovskyi added. He also appealed to the Verkhovna Rada to pass a resolution on counteracting "fascist manifestations" in Ukraine. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Authorities working against opposition?

KYIV - National Deputy Taras Stetskiv told journalists on September 8 that the Internal Affairs Ministry has created regional groups of police officers from departments dealing with economic and organized crime to support the presidential campaign of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and counteract the campaigns of opposition candidates, the Ukrainska Pravda website reported. Mr. Stetskiv alleged that such groups are coordinated by the ministry with unsigned faxes bearing secret directives sent to the provinces. "Only members of these groups know about the existence of such directives," Mr. Stetskiv added. He showed one such purported fax to journalists. The document included instructions to monitor election meetings in the regions, prevent opposition candidates from placing their campaign advertisements on commercial billboards, spot those officials in local power bodies who sympathize with the opposition, prevent opposition election staff members in Kyiv from sending advertising materials or money to the provinces, and thwart the printing of election campaign advertisements by opposition candidates in the provinces. (RFE/RL Newsline)

CEC allows polling stations abroad

KYIV - The Central Election Commission of Ukraine has allowed the setting up of polling stations abroad outside embassies and consulates, where there are high concentrations of Ukrainians living abroad, reported 1+1 television on August 27. The decision will make it possible for many Ukrainians who work abroad to take part in the presidential election slated for October 31. According to unofficial data, one in five voters possessing a Ukrainian passport works abroad illegally. (BBC Monitoring)

113 polling stations to be set up abroad

KYIV - The Central Election Commission (CEC) has already set up 113 polling stations abroad so that Ukrainian citizens who are out of the country can vote in the presidential election, reported 1+1 television on September 10. The largest number of polling stations is in Germany - five. In Poland, Russia and the United States, there are four apiece. In Italy and Spain, countries that have the largest numbers of Ukrainian migrant workers, there are two polling stations each. In Portugal, there is only one. All of the polling stations are located in diplomatic missions, which means that it will mainly be legally employed Ukrainians who go there to vote. Despite promises from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the government not to punish them, illegal workers are unlikely to vote. The CEC had earlier decided to set up polling stations abroad outside diplomatic missions, so that even those who are not on the consular register could vote. (BBC Monitoring)

Canada to have two polling stations

TORONTO - In accordance with a September 10 decision of the Central Election Commission, Canada will have two polling stations where Ukrainian citizens living abroad can vote. The stations are: District No. 41, located at the Embassy of Ukraine, 310 Somerset St. W., Ottawa; and District No. 42, located at the Consulate General of Ukraine, 2120 Bloor St. W., Toronto. (Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto)

Crimean Tatars back Yushchenko

KYIV - A congress of the Crimean Tatar people (Kurultai) has asked fellow countrymen to vote for presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, reported the Kyiv-based Era broadcaster on September 12. The Kurultai said that the Crimean Tatars associate Mr. Yushchenko's activities with democratic development of the entire state and of the Crimean Tatar people in particular. The Kurultai urged all Crimean voters regardless of their ethnic and religious background to take part in the election. (BBC Monitoring)

| Home Page |