DATE=04/01/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-288216

TITLE=UKRAINE / ELECTIONS (L)

BYLINE=REBECCA SANTANA

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

/// UPDATE VOTE FIGURES IN INTRO AS NEEDED ///

INTRO: About half the votes have been counted in the former Soviet republic of Ukraine where citizens voted Sunday to elect a new parliament. A reformist party headed by the former prime minister is leading with 21 percent of the vote. The Communist party is a close second with 20 percent. And the pro-presidential party has about 14 percent. V-O-A's Rebecca Santana in Moscow reports the elections were marred by charges of vote tampering.

TEXT: Many international observers and opposition politicians have criticized the Ukrainian elections, saying they were biased in favor of the government.

Many of Ukraine's 49-million citizens went to the polls on Sunday to pick their representatives for the 450-seat parliament. But some voters waited for hours without being able to cast their ballots.

Yevgeny Tsyganok -- a journalist in the Ukraine capital, Kiev -- said many Ukrainians complained about how the vote was handled and there were reported clashes at some polling places.

/// TSYGANOK ACT ///

As you can imagine, a person who spends two hours without (the) possibility to cast their ballot were absolutely upset.

/// END ACT ///

Election observers from such organizations as the Council of Europe also reported other election irregularities. The observers said some people voted twice and absentee ballots were not closely monitored, allowing for possible fraud.

Officials from the Ukrainian Election Commission say there were minor violations but nothing that would affect the results.

The head of the reformist Our Ukraine party, former Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko, said he would challenge the results of Sunday's election in court.

Based on the early returns, it is not clear who will control the parliament.

The elections were closely watched as an early indicator of who might become the next president in two years. President Leonid Kuchma's term in office expires in 2004 and he cannot run again.

Many Western observers have criticized President Kuchma for failing to follow through on economic and political reforms. But he has maintained support in Ukraine by keeping many Soviet-era programs. (Signed)

NEB/RS/JWH/KPD