Viktor Tsvetanov,

Editor (Europe)

 

KYIV – Celebratory chants spread across Kyiv as Yanukovych’s Party of Regions won general election in Ukraine. Western leaders, however, have condemned the poll as a “backward step” for democracy.

Party of Regions keeps its first place in the poll after 40 % of the votes have been counted with a predicted turnout of 30.7 %, followed by former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko’s Fatherland which received 25 % of the votes.

Rivalry between Tymoshenko and Yanukovych dates back to the so-called Orange Revolution in 2004, when Tymoshenko established a pro-Western government, proclaiming Yanukovych’s victory as rigged.

Party UDAR, headed by professional heavyweight boxer Vitali Klitschko came third with an aggregated 13.7 %, while the communists, who are considered Yanukovych’s long-time allies claimed 13.4  % of the votes.

Unexpectedly high percentage was achieved by the ultra-nationalist Svoboda party, which was polling 10 % according to preliminary results.

3,500 accredited foreign officials, including more than 600 from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), observed  the elections in Ukraine.

This did not prevent negative reactions from the West as US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton described the election as a sign of a “worrying trend.”

“We share the view of OSCE monitors that Sunday’s election constituted a step backward for Ukrainian democracy.” Clinton observes.

Party of Regions has been accused of government resources being used in favour of the ruling party campaign. These included lack of transparency on electoral commissions, vote-buying and media restrictions to opposing parties.

OSCE did not have direct objections to the actual voting process, but swiftly came up with a statement saying that the vote was conducted by a certain “abuse of power and the excessive role of money,” while also noted that Yanukovych’s archrival, Former Prime Minister Yulia  Tymoshenko, was in prison.