London, Oct 30 (ANI): Elections in Ukraine have been a backward step for democracy, marred by the abuse of power and the excessive role of money, one of the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization has claimed.
The remark from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) came as early results pointed to a win for President Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions.
Opposition leader and ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko remains in prison.
"Considering the abuse of power, and the excessive role of money in this election, democratic progress appears to have reversed in Ukraine," said Walburga Habsburg Douglas, a Swedish MP who headed the OSCE mission.
According to the BBC, the criticism was contradictory to the international observers' conclusions on Ukraine's February 2010 presidential election, judged to have been transparent, unbiased and an 'impressive display' of democracy.
That election was won by Yanukovych, defeating Tymoshenko.
Meanwhile, Tymoshenko has announced a hunger strike in protest at alleged vote rigging and is only drinking water, the report said. (ANI)
|
|
Comments:
