Ukraine's presidential election campaign entered its last two weeks on Saturday with the final opinion polls predicting victory for Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych. Ukrainian law prohibits the publication of any opinion polls less than 14 days before an election. Voting is due to take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, January 17. Campaigning finishes on the Friday, with voters given the Saturday to consider their choice in an atmosphere of quiet. The Central Election Committee has registered 18 candidates, including Yanukovych, incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko, current Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn and former Rada speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Polls predict that no candidate will secure an outright majority in the first round, with Yanukovych expected to garner around 30% to 20% for Tymoshenko.
Ukraine's presidential election campaign entered its last two weeks on Saturday with the final opinion polls predicting victory for Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych.
Ukrainian law prohibits the publication of any opinion polls less than 14 days before an election. Voting is due to take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, January 17. Campaigning finishes on the Friday, with voters given the Saturday to consider their choice in an atmosphere of quiet.
The Central Election Committee has registered 18 candidates, including Yanukovych, incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko, current Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn and former Rada speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
Polls predict that no candidate will secure an outright majority in the first round, with Yanukovych expected to garner around 30% to 20% for Tymoshenko.
Ukraine is eager to end the marathon round of talks that would guarantee the fourth and final tranche of a $16.4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by the end of this year. The government hopes to assure this loan ahead of upcoming presidential elections. According to the New York Times, the IMF is playing a waiting game with Kiev and plans to withhold the $3.5 billion final tranche until after the presidential elections, which are due to be held January 17. The loan was approved in the midst of the global financial crisis, in late 2008. Yet it appears, the results of the upcoming presidential election will be a crucial factor in sealing the deal for the final disbursement of the IMF "lifeline," or cash injection, on which Ukraine's faltering economy depends to stay afloat. In addition to these loans, Ukraine has requested an additional $2 billion in urgent "emergency loans," according to the Financial Times, in order for it to ensure the flow of natural gas through its transit country, which originates in Russia and is destined for Western European markets. Ukraine has seen its gas supply shut off in the past by Moscow, due to its failure to pay Russia outstanding energy debts. The Moscow-Kiev gas disputes, or "wars," which often center on pricing and delayed payments owed on the Ukrainian side, has led to interruptions in gas exports to several E.U. member states in the midst of winter. This has added to the perception abroad of Ukraine being an unreliable trade partner.
Ukraine is eager to end the marathon round of talks that would guarantee the fourth and final tranche of a $16.4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by the end of this year. The government hopes to assure this loan ahead of upcoming presidential elections. According to the New York Times, the IMF is playing a waiting game with Kiev and plans to withhold the $3.5 billion final tranche until after the presidential elections, which are due to be held January 17. The loan was approved in the midst of the global financial crisis, in late 2008. Yet it appears, the results of the upcoming presidential election will be a crucial factor in sealing the deal for the final disbursement of the IMF "lifeline," or cash injection, on which Ukraine's faltering economy depends to stay afloat.
In addition to these loans, Ukraine has requested an additional $2 billion in urgent "emergency loans," according to the Financial Times, in order for it to ensure the flow of natural gas through its transit country, which originates in Russia and is destined for Western European markets. Ukraine has seen its gas supply shut off in the past by Moscow, due to its failure to pay Russia outstanding energy debts. The Moscow-Kiev gas disputes, or "wars," which often center on pricing and delayed payments owed on the Ukrainian side, has led to interruptions in gas exports to several E.U. member states in the midst of winter. This has added to the perception abroad of Ukraine being an unreliable trade partner.
