Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) report widespread incompetence and a general atmosphere of distrust preceding Sunday's general elections in Ukraine. 

They say the way the voting was directed prevented hundreds of voters from casting ballots. Ukrainian Election Commission officials, however, say that even though there were minor violations, they will not affect the results. 

Opposition parties have voiced concerns that the poll will be stolen by pro-presidential parties. But preliminary results based on almost 60 percent of the vote show that the reformist Our Ukraine coalition supporting former Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko has almost 22 percent, the Communist Party some 20 percent and the pro-presidential bloc For United Ukraine, 13.5 percent of the vote. 

Thirty-seven million Ukrainians were registered to cast ballots in Sunday's election to choose 450 members of the parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. Election officials said voter turnout was more than 65 percent. 

The ballot is being seen a measure of the popularity of President Leonid Kuchma, whose government has been wracked by allegations of abuse of power. 

Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.

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