- Title: UKRAINE: Ukrainian soldiers vote in parliamentary elections en masse
- Date: 28th October 2012
- Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (OCTOBER 28, 2012) (REUTERS) OUTSIDE POLLING STATION UKRAINIAN FLAG OVER POLLING STATION VARIOUS SOLDIERS QUEUING FOR BALLOT PAPERS ELECTION OFFICIAL REGISTERING VOTERS SOLDIER QUEUING FOR BALLOT PAPERS MORE ELECTION OFFICIALS REGISTERING VOTERS VARIOUS SOLDIERS CASTING BALLOTS SOLDIER SIGNING VOTING REGISTRY SOLDIER'S BOOTS NEXT TO BALLOT BOX SOLDIER CASTING BALLOT VARIOUS SOLDIERS AT POLLING STATION VARIOUS SOLDIERS OUTSIDE POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL REGIMENT SOLDIER VLADIMIR KOVALENKO SAYING: "I'm for Azarov, the Party of the Regions." REPORTER ASKING: "For Azarov?" SOLDIER VLADIMIR KOVALENKO ANSWERING: "Affirmative, Sir. My brother has suggested it. He is also in the military. He is a contract sailor, in border guard. He told me to vote this way." SOLDIERS OUTSIDE POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) UNIDENTIFIED SOLDIER FROM UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL REGIMENT, SAYING: "I think there will be some changes anyway. That's my point of view. Something will change in the country anyway, I think." VARIOUS SOLDIERS (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL REGIMENT SOLDIER ROMAN LYSOVIK SAYING: "I think we live well under current authorities. Everything is good. And I can't say anything more on this question. VARIOUS SOLDIERS OUTSIDE POLLING STATION
- Embargoed: 12th November 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAC9EKOROMOB1ZX8QZ4QK89ULCH
- Story Text: Early voters started to arrive at polling stations in capital Kiev on Sunday (October 28) morning to vote in parliamentary poll set to bring victory to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich's pro-business ruling Party of the Regions. But it will face a re-energised opposition which has vowed to fight growing authoritarianism and corruption.
Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) and will close at 8 p.m (1800 GMT) with exit polls following swiftly afterwards.
Ukrainian soldiers based in capital Kiev were ones of the first to cast their vote at polling station housed in one of the city's secondary schools.
"I'm for Azarov, the Party of the Regions," said 24-year-old Vladimir Kovalenko, serviceman from the Ukrainian Presidential Regiment. "My brother has suggested it. He is also in the military. He is a contract sailor, in border guard. He told me to vote this way."
Prime minister Mykola Azarov heads the ruling Regions party list at the current poll.
The former Soviet republic of 46 million is more isolated internationally than it has been for years. The imprisonment of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Yanukovich's main rival, has put it at odds with the United States and European Union, while Russia turns a deaf ear to Kiev's calls for cheaper gas.
At home, the government's popularity has been hit by tax and pensions policies and a failure to stamp out corruption, prompting it to shy away from painful reforms that could secure much-needed IMF lending to shore up an export-driven economy.
"I think there will be some changes anyway. That's my point of view. Something will change in the country anyway, I think," said another soldier from the same regiment who didn't give his name.
The government raised public sector wages and pensions ahead of the vote, recovering some of its lost support at the cost of widening the budget deficit which tripled to $2 billion for the period of January to August year-on-year. Ukraine's economy is vulnerable to falling demand for steel and other exports.
The Regions has also promised to make Russian an official state language alongside Ukrainian - a move aimed at winning back disenchanted supporters in Russian-speaking areas of the east and south but which alienates many voters elsewhere.
"I think we live well under current authorities. Everything is good. And I can't say anything more on this question," said soldier Roman Lysovik.
Of 450 seats in the single-chamber parliament, 225 will be filled by voters casting ballots for parties to send candidates from a list.
The other half will be decided by voting for individual candidates on a first-past-the-post basis - a feature re-introduced by the Regions which is assumed to favour the party.
In total 87 parties take part in the elections but only five are expected to cross 5 percent threshold needed to secure entry into the new parliament.
Though results will begin to trickle in almost immediately, an accurate overall picture will emerge only much later on Monday since counts in individual constituencies take longer. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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