As you've all probably heard, their has been a big chrises with the results of a recent election in the Ukraine, and that there might be the possiblility of civil war breaking out if the current prime minister stays in office. Can anyone tell me why the people are so against having this one guy (i can't remember his name) and want Yochenko(sp?) in so bad?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4038409.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4042979.stm

The first link provides a brief outline to some of the problems. It seems to be east vs west, half the country wants to remain friends with russia. the other half wants closer links with the EU. There is a crisis because Yuschenko and observers beliee the vote was rigged, and there protesting, only russia seems to support the winning candidate, the US and many others belive the vote was unfair.

Thanks. Yeah, Canada is thinking about breaking diplomatic ties with the Ukraine if they continue this way.

Originally Posted by Trevor

As you've all probably heard, their has been a big chrises with the results of a recent election in the Ukraine, and that there might be the possiblility of civil war breaking out if the current prime minister stays in office. Can anyone tell me why the people are so against having this one guy (i can't remember his name) and want Yochenko(sp?) in so bad?

Even old sarge gives a ****8)

Ukraine's Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich has urged a crowd of supporters to help him end demonstrations aimed at overturning his victory in a presidential election, saying they amounted to an "unconstitutional coup".

"Dear friends, together we must do everything so that an unconstitutional coup in Ukraine does not happen," he told many thousands of supporters brought to Kiev by train from his native Donbass coal mining region in eastern Ukraine.

"I believe in our strength, I believe in the law, I believe in the constitution," Yanukovich told the crowd on Friday, mostly men in their 30s and 40s, outside the main railway station.

Yanukovich was speaking as mediators from the European Union, Poland and Russia sought a solution to five days of tumult over the election, which opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko says he won because of widespread fraud.

The prime minister, adopting a mocking tone, told Yushchenko to turn up for round-table talks scheduled for later in the day.

"Today I am challenging that pesky cat Yushchenko to come to the talks, just as I challenged him to a debate," he said, referring to a popular Soviet-era children's cartoon.

President Leonid Kuchma earlier called for an end to the "so-called revolution" of days of protests by Yushchenko's supports and urged both sides to settle their differences to enable the country to move forward.

I think the former USSR political leaders miss the days of only having 1 person on the ballot. Tough to get democracy started very often, but its generally a good thing once its well in place. The current fiasco is a test of whether they are going to be truly democratic. Even if nothing wrong was done (which isn't true), the winner needs to better establish that they really did win.

I don't think the Russian- speaking part of the country will actually want to secede. Btw I once had a chick from there.

Yuschenko, the guy that has been running a strong and widely supported campaign for presidency and was recently poisoned lost against the instituted leader (forgot his name), but they made a petition successfully to reschedule another election on the grounds that the original election was rigged. Yushenko's party plans to be more vigilant in the upcoming re-election that is to be held in January, I believe.

Yeah, his face looks pretty screwed up. On the news it showed a picture of him a few months ago, and then one now. It has boils and everything.

" Ukraine's Parliament failed to Pass Legislation ensuring a fair re-run of the presidential election. Indicatiosn of an economic toll emerged with the budget deficit increasing to $1 billion from nearly zero in the months before the vote. The prospect of joining the EU has motivated many protesters."

Quoted from Today's Front Page of the Wall Street Journal
Wednesday December 8, 2004 - Vol. CCXLIV No. 112