Ukraine Today - An Independent Political Review

4.02.2010, 09:54 The hysterical statement by Tymoshenko on claiming that yesterday actions by Verkhovna Rada to amend the election laws to protect the right to vote are undemocratic and undermine the integrity of the elections is outright deceitful. The legislation passed by the Verkhovna Rada yesterday was submitted on the 27th of January and was meant to fix a deficiency in the current election law regarding the organization and operations of the District Election Commissions (DECs) and Precinct Election Commissions (PECs). Under current law there is a 2/3 quorum requirement for the PECs and DECs to function, including opening the polls on election day and counting the ballots. In the Second Round of a Presidential election, each of the two candidates proposes 50% of the members of the DECs and PECs. This allows one of the parties to undermine the process by denying a quorum. The Second Round of the Presidential election is the only election where this is possible because in all...

Viktor Yanukovych Party of Regions with an estimated 34% of the votes have declared victory in the March 26 Ukrainian Parliamentary elections. This would translate into roughly 44% of the seats of Parliament under the rules related to the allocation of seats. Whilst Yanukovych does not yet hold an absolute majority of seats he is well placed to try and form a workable majority. It is still possible for the Orange Coalition to form a government with the support of Lytvyn Block but if this happens it will be a weak coalition with the Government requiring the support of a loose alliance. A n umber of observers are calling on Viktor Yanukovich or Yulia Tymoshenko to support a coalition with Party of Regions. If this was possible and it is a bog IF then Ukraine would be able to form a stable government which would see it regain economic growth and confidence. In spit Yanokvic's victory statement it is still early days and much horse trading will go on between now and the formation of th...