Yushchenko and Yukanovych in television debate

Описание: (21 Dec 2004) SHOTLIST

1. Candidates at the debate
2. Opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko
3. Ukrainian Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych
4. SOUNDBITE: (Ukrainian) Viktor Yushchenko, Opposition Leader:
"One reason why we are here today is because the results of the November 21 elections were stolen. More than three million votes were stolen by my opponent and his team."
5. Candidates facing each other
6. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Viktor Yanukovych, Prime Minister of Ukraine:
"Your accusations towards me and towards my voters don't give us the chance to look into the future optimistically."
7. Candidates facing each other
8. SOUNDBITE: (Ukrainian) Viktor Yushchenko, Opposition Leader:
"And I'm talking about the powers that be. About the authorities that denied opportunities to my people. And that is because they (the authorities) are criminal, literally criminal. Second, the powers organised a black market economy based on three or four "families". Where is the wealth that you boast of?"
9. Candidates facing each other
10. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Viktor Yanukovych, Prime Minister of Ukraine:
"I can tell you plainly, Viktor Andreyevych, if you think that you can win and become the president of Ukraine, you are making a big mistake. If you win, you may become the president of only part of Ukraine."
11. Candidates shake hands

STORYLINE

Ukraine's two rivals for the presidency clashed in a heated televised debate on Monday, with opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko accusing his rival of trying to steal the November runoff election, which was later annulled because of alleged fraud.

The debate, marked by several sharp exchanges and finger-pointing, came amid tension fuelled by huge street protests and revelations that Yushchenko was poisoned by dioxin in September.

Yushchenko accused Yanukovych and his party of stealing three (m) million votes.

Yanukovych, with a tie in his trademark blue, spoke in Russian instead of Ukrainian in his introductory remarks.

He replied that Yushchenko's accusations did not encourage optimism for the future of Ukraine and suggested a Yushchenko victory would endanger the country's unity.

"If you win, you may become the president of only part of Ukraine," Yanukovych told his rival.

The rules of the debate allowed the two candidates to ask each other questions directly after first giving their opening statements.

Yushchenko's questions focused on economic matters, pensions, the budget and salaries,

He accused the "powers that be" of organising a "black market economy" in Ukraine.

Yanukovych, meanwhile, emphasised voting and changes in election law.

He urged Yushchenko to pledge not to contest the official results of the rerun vote on 26 December, saying that whoever won should recognise the other's victory.

During the debate, neither candidate mentioned the poisoning that left Yushchenko's face pockmarked and disfigured.

Both candidates shook hands when the debate ended and maintained a controlled tone for most of the 100-minute session.

The debate was the first since the Supreme Court annulled the presidential runoff of 21 November, following allegations of widespread fraud.

The bitter campaign has split the country between the eastern, Russian-speaking industrial heartland that backs Yanukovych, and other regions which back the Western-leaning reformist, Yushchenko.

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