Ukraine's Embattled Channel 5 Stays On The Air (hunger strike by journalis

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Embattled Channel 5 Stays On The Air (In the Ukraine)

Hunger-striking television journalists at Channel 5 in Ukraine ended their week-long fast last week after authorities unfroze the station's bank account, meeting one of the strikers' demands in regards to a libel suit launched by an opponent.

But officials of the Central Elections Commission leveled fresh charges at the station this week, claiming it had violated campaign rules by broadcasting a live statement by opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, AP reported 4 November. TV5's leading anchor, Mykola Veresen, said he was uncertain whether the public accusations would translate into legal action against the station, and characterized the move as "just another excuse for authorities to maintain their pressure," AP reported."We are working now because we want to put into practice that which we advocate each evening ."

Channel 5 is the only independent TV station in Ukraine consistently providing access for main opposition candidate Victor Yushchenko. The station remains on the air and is being closely watched by international monitors as a key indicator of the fairness and freedom of Ukrainian run-off elections on 21 November. Attacks on the station in the last year from various quarters have been characterized by station managers as being supported by the campaign of Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych, the government of President Leonid Kuchma's favored candidate in the presidential elections.

In an action perceived by both Channel 5 as well as international election monitors as politically-motivated, Volodymyr Sivkovych, a businessman and parliamentary deputy, sued the station for libel, based on a broadcast claiming that he was "collaborating" with the Kuchma government. The broadcast alleged that Sivkovych had fabricated his report about Yushchenko's claim of poisoning, the subject of a parliamentary investigation. Yanukovych denied instigating the lawsuit, Ukrainian news services reported.

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http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/11/1c79dcd0-1d65-45ea-935e-95a72c83ee35.html

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1. Presidential Candidates Look To Bolster Support For Second Round

Ukraine: Presidential Candidates Look To Bolster Support For Second Round
By Askold Krushelnycky


EU leaders, meeting in Brussels on today, criticized Ukraine for its recent presidential election and urged the government to ensure that the 21 November runoff is free and fair. The EU criticism comes after international observers said the 31 October vote and the election campaign were flawed. There is still no official result from that poll. The Central Election Commission has both leading candidates, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, running neck and neck. The delay in vote counting is happening against a backdrop of claims by the opposition that it is being cheated out of an outright victory. Meanwhile, both leading candidates are holding talks to court support for the decisive second round.

Kyiv, 5 November 2004 (RFE/RL) -- The latest figures released by Ukraine's Central Election Commission show that with almost 98 percent of the ballots counted, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych received 39.9 percent of the votes, while his main challenger, opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, garnered 39.2 percent.

The commission said the release of the final results from the first-round vote may be delayed until next week. But neither candidate reached the 50 percent threshold needed for victory in the first round....cont'd

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/11/5d9f92f8-d1eb-4b12-91ca-ed1e152deea6.html