Crowds march on presidency as anger over election erupts

mkpdavies · 26-11-2004, 04:56 PM

Amazing how the world mirrors itself sometimes. Exactly the same thing happened in Ohio, USA.

Anthony Butcher · 27-11-2004, 01:03 AM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...376932,00.html

Quote:

UKRAINE’S presidential rivals publicly renounced violence last night and agreed to set up a working group to heal the country’s political paralysis, but the opposition still insisted on fresh elections.

At crisis talks mediated by Russia and the EU, Viktor Yanukovych, the Prime Minister, and his liberal challenger, Viktor Yushchenko, called for a peaceful solution to the impasse. “We stand against any use of force that might lead to an escalation of conflict and bloodshed,” they declared in a joint statement.

But, indicating that little progress had been made, Mr Yushchenko later repeated his demand that fresh elections be held on December 12 under the supervision of a new electoral commission.

“We will allow only a few days for negotiation,” Mr Yushchenko said. “If Yanukovych wants to drag things out, we will take active measures.”

Anthony Butcher · 27-11-2004, 01:42 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4047421.stm

Quote:

Ukrainian MPs reject poll result

Ukraine's parliament has declared last Sunday's presidential poll invalid.
MPs backed a resolution saying the result of the run-off election was "at odds with the will of the people".

Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych was declared the winner, but challenger Viktor Yushchenko has alleged fraud and refused to accept the result.

While the parliament cannot overturn the result, its views may carry weight with the supreme court, which meets on Monday to examine the fraud claims.

The parliament met in emergency session in the capital Kiev to discuss the crisis, and its proceedings were broadcast live on all national TV channels and to thousands of opposition protesters gathered outside the building.

A majority of MPs also passed a vote of no-confidence in the country's Central Elections Commission, which like the other vote was not legally binding.

Anthony Butcher · 28-11-2004, 01:08 AM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...379054,00.html

Quote:

RUSSIA has offered to back the Ukrainian government if it uses force to crush pro-democracy demonstrators who have taken control of the capital and other cities, it was claimed last night, write Askold Krushelnycky and Mark Franchetti.

A senior figure in the Ukrainian presidential administration who declined to be identified said that Boris Gryzlov, President Vladimir Putin’s personal envoy to Ukraine, had promised “diplomatic cover” against any international backlash prompted by such a move.

The source emphasised, however, that the pledge had been given at the beginning of escalating protests prompted by last Sunday’s elections that handed the presidency to Viktor Yanukovych, the prime minister.

Anthony Butcher · 29-11-2004, 03:48 AM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...379656,00.html

Quote:

THEY used to call her the “gas princess”. But the swarms of protesters on Independence Square in Kiev now refer to Yuliya Tymoshenko as Ukraine’s Joan of Arc.

The fiery blonde opposition deputy is at the heart of the so-called chestnut revolution that threatened to tear the country apart yesterday when eastern regions said that they would hold a referendum on autonomy next month.

With her rousing speeches, slim figure and glamorous looks she has inflamed and sustained huge demonstrations in support of Viktor Yushchenko, the opposition leader, who accuses the Government of rigging the presidential election eight days ago.

Nigel Garage · 29-11-2004, 10:56 AM

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=4072

Quote:

November 29, 2004
The Yushchenko Mythos
Don't believe the U.S. government's fairy tale about what's happening in Ukraine
by Justin Raimondo
According to the U.S. government, and commentators on the left as well as the (neoconservative) right, the crisis in the Ukraine is a clear-cut case of "democracy" versus authoritarianism, "the people" versus "the oligarchs," and the forces of enlightened Europhilia up against the sinister specter of a resurgent Russia and a revivified KGB.

The only problem with this narrative is that it is unmitigated bunk.

chris_nelson · 29-11-2004, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Garage

I'm always a bit cynical when the US and EU (those models of democratic probity) gang up on small countries because the vote didn't go the 'right way'.

Ukraine isn't really much of a small country. It's got 50 million people - a little bit more than the population of England! :-)

As a young Lib Dem I took part in a meeting of international young liberals in Poland over the weekend, where we all (be we from Canada, Sweden, Russia or Senegal) took part in a demonstration showing solidarity to the opposition in neighbouring Ukraine.

These elections seem to be clearly unfair and have been condemned by just about every international observer mission in the country and by the vast majority of the democratic world.

But yes, one of the problems is that the Ukraine is split between the Russian-speaking east and the Ukranian-speaking west. Let us hope that the Ukranian Supreme Court will quash the election as being unfair so that a second ballot can be held free of political thuggery and the stuffing of ballot boxes.

Anthony Butcher · 29-11-2004, 05:59 PM

Chris that is a big effort to go to; I am yet to attend my first rally in Britain, let alone travelling overseas to support a foreign political movement. So, well done to you!

Anthony Butcher · 01-12-2004, 02:09 AM

Telegraph Article

Quote:

Negotiations to end Ukraine's political crisis collapsed last night as the Kremlin predicted that the divided country was heading for "break-up or bloodshed".

Allies of Viktor Yushchenko, the opposition leader, walked out of discussions to end the stand-off with Viktor Yanukovich, the prime minister, and called for his hundreds of thousands of supporters to renew blockades of government buildings, which were briefly lifted earlier in the day.

Mr Yushchenko's supporters have flooded the streets of the capital, Kiev, since he was narrowly beaten in Ukraine's presidential election by the Russian-backed prime minister last week.

The poll was overshadowed by widespread reports of intimidation and vote rigging, sparking the protests.

The collapse in negotiations followed a hectic day in which protesters marched from the Supreme Court, which is considering appeals against the election result, to the parliament building, where a no-confidence motion in the government of Mr Yanukovich was being debated.

Anthony Butcher · 04-12-2004, 12:01 AM

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe...p?story=589488

Quote:

Ukraine's Supreme Court today invalidated the official results of the disputed presidential run-off election and ruled that a repeat vote must be held.

Presiding Judge Anatoly Yarema said the rerun should be held by 26 December.

The court issued its verdict in response to an appeal by opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, who asked the court to cancel results of the 21 November run-off. He said it had been rigged in favour of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.

Yushchenko has pushed for a quick rerun of the run-off, saying it may come as early as 19 December. He has rejected outgoing President Leonid Kuchma's call for a completely new election which was widely seen as an attempt to field a new candidate more popular than Yanukovych.

Tens of thousands of opposition protesters who had massed in Kiev in anticipation of the decision cheered, waving blue-and-yellow Ukrainian and orange Yushchenko flags and chanting "Yushchenko! Yushchenko!" The crackle of fireworks could be heard in the distance.

26-11-2004, 04:56 PM	#11 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,604	Amazing how the world mirrors itself sometimes. Exactly the same thing happened in Ohio, USA. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

29-11-2004, 05:59 PM	#18 (permalink)
Anthony Butcher Administrator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Long Ashton, Bristol Posts: 9,818 Party: None	Chris that is a big effort to go to; I am yet to attend my first rally in Britain, let alone travelling overseas to support a foreign political movement. So, well done to you!