Ukraine braces for heated vote as Russia, West watches anxiously
Published:
30 October 2004 y., Saturday
Hundreds of thousands of pro-Western and pro-Russian activists mobilized across Ukraine as the former Soviet republic headed into a stormy weekend vote that Washington warned would spark unspecified "measures" if rigged by the state.
Both sides braced for a night of violence following the vote Sunday as this nation of 50 million picks a successor to President Leonid Kuchma -- a leader who over his decade-long term sided with Moscow. Kuchma has entrusted his chosen successor, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, to stay the same course.
But the opposition has sensed that Sunday offered an unprecedented chance to finally open up Ukraine to Europe and secure protection from Russia by the US-led NATO alliance.
Their candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, is running neck-and-neck with the prime minister despite blanket state media coverage for Yanukovich and nationwide police crackdowns against pro-Western and anti-Russian rallies.
A victory by Yushchenko could initiate the transformation of Ukraine from a bridge between Moscow and the West into a member of the European Union -- shifting liberal Europe's center of gravity closer to Russia's border.
Yushchenko predicted victory Friday and his supporters organized a demonstration at Kiev's historic Independence Square opposite government headquarters for Monday morning that they say could see up to 600,000 people show up on the streets.
Šaltinis:
story.news.yahoo.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
EU animal welfare rules must be more rigorously enforced, with more inspections and effective penalties, said the Agriculture Committee on Wednesday.
more »
Fifty-three year old Rasima collects dirt everyday from a paddy field in Indonesia’s east Java province, turning it into a snack made entirely from soil, called "ampo."
more »
At the moment an Argentinian working for a French company in Spain can't travel to France for a meeting on his long-term visa.
more »
An EU-wide strategy is needed to combat violence against women, which must be recognised as a crime, said participants in a European Parliament public hearing with national parliaments and civil society representatives, held on Tuesday to mark International Women's Day.
more »
You know its Tet in Vietnam when Peach and Kumquat orange trees decorate every home, shop and public establishment.
more »
A surveyor has set up his tripod and instruments under a hot tropical sun to measure plots of land in a village where the Dac Kray minority community were settled four years ago.
more »
Japanese men are answering the call of Valentine s Day a month late.
more »
In three urgent resolutions adopted on Thursday, Parliament urges Hamas to release kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, deplores the escalating criminal violence in Mexico and calls on South Korea to scrap the death penalty.
more »
The plight of Europe's 10 million Roma population will fall under the spotlight Tuesday afternoon when MEPs discuss an upcoming Roman summit.
more »
EU Employment and Social Affairs Ministers have today adopted a Directive to prevent injuries and infections to healthcare workers from sharp objects such as needle sticks – one of the most serious health and safety threats in European workplaces and estimated to cause 1 million injuries each year.
more »