The OSCE is probably the only international institution in which Russia has the statutory power to veto a country's advance toward democracy. At the OSCE's year-end meeting in Sofia on December 6-7, Russia vetoed part of the political declaration relating to Ukraine, claiming that it... MORE

More than 38,000 candidates are expected to contest 22,000 seats in Azerbaijan's December 17 municipal elections. Once again, the opposition has decided to boycott the vote. The independent daily Zerkalo reported that several opposition parties, including the Popular Front, Musavat and its allied parties in... MORE

In the aftermath of the scandalous second round of the Ukrainian presidential election on November 21, the pro-Kuchma parliamentary majority, established originally to back up Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych's "coalition government," is continuing to unravel. The disintegration is part and parcel of the gradual defection... MORE

Last week Ukrainian opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko won a major victory. The opposition achieved one of its main goals -- the invalidation of the November 21 runoff -- and almost achieved its other major goal -- the dismissal of the cabinet formed by Prime... MORE

The December 4 Ukrainian parliamentary session should have been a second day of victory for the opposition. Instead, Viktor Yushchenko and his allies failed to obtain what they sought and parliament voted to recess for 10 days. This means that it will only reconvene 12... MORE

The first year of Leonid Kuchma's second term as president of Ukraine was marked by a scandal that eventually became known as Kuchmagate. The affair was triggered by the release of secret tape recordings made in his office by a security guard. Two years later... MORE

Several leading Russian liberals have strongly criticized Russia's role in Ukraine's ongoing election crisis. On December 2, Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky accused Russian authorities of interference in Ukraine's internal affairs. "Russian ruling circles should stop facilitating a split in Ukraine and provoking clashes there," Yavlinsky... MORE

As opposition protests mount, Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych's chances of proving that the presidential elections were not rigged in his favor get slimmer. Now there are signs that the ruling elite is considering a new candidate. This is Serhiy Tyhypko, who on November 29... MORE

During yesterday's parliamentary hearings on Ukraine's post-election crisis, speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn promised not to use force against demonstrators. Similarly, during Sunday's meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, Security Service (SBU) chairman Ihor Smeshko argued against using force, as it would lead to greater... MORE

As the political standoff continues in Ukraine, the only conclusion that can now possibly be made is that the pro-presidential camp never sought to hold free and fair elections in the first place. Both rounds one (October 31) and two (November 21) of the presidential... MORE