Against such positive changes across so many sectors, the latest efforts by Mr. Kuchma to amend the constitution and the accusations of possible poisoning are troubling. The government-controlled news media's election coverage is dominated by pictures of Mr. Yushchenko's opponent, Prime Minister Viktor A. Yanukovich. Still, many people expect the election on Oct. 31 will result in a runoff.
While the Bush administration has carefully dealt with Mr. Kuchma so as not to push him toward Russia's waiting embrace, it must also address his attempt to cling to power. The United States provided $189 million in aid to Ukraine during the fiscal year that ended last September, including $55 million for democracy programs centered in large part around these presidential elections. Any efforts to disrupt the electoral process should be met with threats of curtailing or suspending current and future aid.
Well, at least they got rid of Kuchma, Eurasia Daily Monitor (Volume 6, Issue 180--no link) notes that the Ukrainian courts have given Tymoshenko protection from "unfair" political ads. While troubling, its not like the blanket control of the media that Kuchma employed to support Yanukovych's candidacy. Also, Regions isn't focused on the truth, but on generating black PR against Tymoshenko.
The court ruled on a lawsuit filed by
Tymoshenko's Fatherland Party against an entrepreneur accused by
the party of producing a video to compromise Tymoshenko. The
court's wording was significant as it ruled that unfair
advertisements against Tymoshenko are "anti-social in nature,
discredits Tymoshenko, increases social tension and causes other
negative consequences" (Ukrainska Pravda, September 24). A
newspaper linked to Yanukovych's Party of Regions (PRU) admitted
that the PRU was behind the video, which claimed that Tymoshenko
does not deliver on her promises. The video reportedly mocked
Tymoshenko's main campaign slogan "She Works," which is frequently
used in her own advertisements (Segodnya, September 25).
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