Democracy on the March in Ukraine

BBC.com November 30, 2004 Ukraine's parliament has passed a no-confidence motion in Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych as a crisis over the disputed presidential poll continues. MPs narrowly backed an opposition bid to dismiss Mr Yanukovych and his government on grounds of mismanagement. He asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to annul the contentious second round of the presidential poll. Electoral authorities say Mr Yanukovych beat the opposition's Viktor Yushchenko despite claims of vote-rigging. Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma has formally proposed holding a new poll to end the stand-off. BBC regional analyst Steven Eke says that while the opposition sees the parliamentary vote as a victory, Mr Kuchma's proposal is designed to undermine opposition momentum. The US and the European Union said the 21 November election run-off fell short of democratic norms, and the Supreme Court has delayed publication of the results while it considers the vote-rigging allegations. Meanwhile reports are circulating that a ruling by the court could come late on Wednesday.