With the kind permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, InfoUkes Inc. has been given rights to electronically re-print these articles on our web site. Visit the RFE/RL Ukrainian Service page for more information. Also visit the RFE/RL home page for news stories on other Eastern European and FSU countries.

Return to Main RFE News Page
InfoUkes Home Page

UKRAINIAN OPPOSITION PROPOSES REFERENDUM ON PRESIDENTIAL-ELECTION PROCESS. Three parliamentary opposition groups -- Our Ukraine, the Socialist Party, and the Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc -- have proposed a nationwide referendum to resolve the ongoing dispute in Ukraine over direct versus indirect election of the president, Interfax reported on 12 October, quoting Our Ukraine leader Viktor Yushchenko. On 23 December, lawmakers from the pro-government majority and the Communist Party preliminarily approved a constitutional-reform bill calling for the election of president in 2006 by the Verkhovna Rada (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 23 and 29 December 2003). The proposal to hold the referendum was voiced during a 12 January meeting of parliamentary-caucus leaders devoted to the current parliamentary controversy over a related constitutional-reform bill. According to Yushchenko, under the Ukrainian Constitution, any curbs on the rights of voters may be introduced only via referendums. JM

UKRAINIAN INTERNET JOURNALIST SHOT WITH RUBBER BULLETS. Oleh Yeltsov, editor of the "Ukraina Kriminalnaya" website (http://www.cripo.com.ua), which reports on crime and corruption in government and the private sector in Ukraine, was attacked in Kyiv on 12 January by an unknown assailant who fired rubber bullets at him, Interfax reported. Yeltsov was slightly injured in the attack, but his injuries did not require hospitalization. Yeltsov was attacked in July by two unidentified men who ambushed him with a stun gun and a metal pipe. JM