KUCHMA WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN UKRAINE... According to unofficial results, incumbent President Leonid Kuchma scored a convincing victory over communist rival Petro Symonenko in the 14 November presidential runoff. With the election tally nearly complete, Kuchma obtained 56.31 percent of the vote and Symonenko 37.76 percent, Reuters reported. According to Interfax, turnout was 74 percent. "This shows we have a huge popular mandate to speed up reform," Kuchma's campaign team head Ivan Kuras commented, adding that the ballot gives Kuchma the green light for parliamentary reform. Symonenko on 15 November conceded defeat but accused Kuchma's team of major election violations and vote rigging. "Everything that happened during the first and second round [of voting] demonstrates that Ukraine has become a police state," AP quoted Symonenko as saying. JM

...PLEDGES TO MAKE 'RESOLUTE' ECONOMIC REFORMS. Talking to journalists after casting his vote in Kyiv on 14 November, Kuchma said he intends to take "resolute steps" to reform the country's economy in the event of his victory, Interfax reported. He added that these steps will "not always be popular." Kuchma did not rule out that the parliament would be dissolved if it failed to form a majority. He added that after the presidential ballot he may "ask the people" what is to be done with the parliament. At the same time, Kuchma pledged that the presidential powers to form a cabinet will "to some extent" be passed to a legislature with a majority. JM

UKRAINE'S SUPREME COURT REJECTS ELECTION VIOLATION COMPLAINTS. The Supreme Court on 13 November rejected complaints by presidential candidates Oleksandr Moroz and Yuriy Karmazin of violations in the first presidential election round on 31 October. According to Interfax, the court refused to view the complaints on the grounds that "in accordance with the legislation in force, [they] are not subject to consideration by courts." Ukraine's presidential election law does not provide for the courts to declare a presidential election invalid. JM

KUCHMA WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN UKRAINE... According to unofficial results, incumbent President Leonid Kuchma scored a convincing victory over communist rival Petro Symonenko in the 14 November presidential runoff. With the election tally nearly complete, Kuchma obtained 56.31 percent of the vote and Symonenko 37.76 percent, Reuters reported. According to Interfax, turnout was 74 percent. "This shows we have a huge popular mandate to speed up reform," Kuchma's campaign team head Ivan Kuras commented, adding that the ballot gives Kuchma the green light for parliamentary reform. Symonenko on 15 November conceded defeat but accused Kuchma's team of major election violations and vote rigging. "Everything that happened during the first and second round [of voting] demonstrates that Ukraine has become a police state," AP quoted Symonenko as saying. JM

...PLEDGES TO MAKE 'RESOLUTE' ECONOMIC REFORMS. Talking to journalists after casting his vote in Kyiv on 14 November, Kuchma said he intends to take "resolute steps" to reform the country's economy in the event of his victory, Interfax reported. He added that these steps will "not always be popular." Kuchma did not rule out that the parliament would be dissolved if it failed to form a majority. He added that after the presidential ballot he may "ask the people" what is to be done with the parliament. At the same time, Kuchma pledged that the presidential powers to form a cabinet will "to some extent" be passed to a legislature with a majority. JM

UKRAINE'S SUPREME COURT REJECTS ELECTION VIOLATION COMPLAINTS. The Supreme Court on 13 November rejected complaints by presidential candidates Oleksandr Moroz and Yuriy Karmazin of violations in the first presidential election round on 31 October. According to Interfax, the court refused to view the complaints on the grounds that "in accordance with the legislation in force, [they] are not subject to consideration by courts." Ukraine's presidential election law does not provide for the courts to declare a presidential election invalid. JM