Nearly a week after Ukraine's parliamentary election, officials are still scrambling to tally votes in a key Kyiv district, in what the opposition says is a clear example of widespread vote rigging by the ruling party.
Western observers have denounced as unfair Sunday’s
election, during which President Viktor Yanukovych’s party maintained
its grip on power.
The opposition claims its candidate in Kyiv’s
precinct No. 223 defeated the pro-government one, but that election
officials are trying to inflate the government loyalist’s tally and
under count opposition votes.
Election officials continued
vote-tallying Friday amid shouts by the opposition and police fending
off alleged pro-government thugs. In previous days, fistfights have
occurred there and tear gas has been used.
Similar incidents have occurred in other regions, prompting the opposition to threaten street protests.
