VOA(美国之音)文本2010年1月18News.docVIP

January 18, 2010 011810.01 Yushchenko Apparently Loses Ukrainian Presidency Peter Fedynsky, Kyiv An exit poll conducted by Kyivs Razumkov Center shows Viktor Yanukovych, who was accused of rigging the 2004 election, has garnered more than 31 percent of the vote. Yulia Tymoshenko, the current head of government, has more than 27 percent, a bit higher than expected. Incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko is running behind businessman Serhiy Tihipko and newcomer Arseniy Yatseniuk with six percent. After casting his ballot, President Yushchenko, whose pre-election support numbered in the single digits, pronounced the election a success. Mr. Yushchenko says he has no doubt this election will once again demonstrate  Billboards for presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko are seen as people wait at a bus stop in Kiev, 13 Jan 2010 Ukraine is a democratic European country; a free nation with free people and where free elections are ensured.  Elections officials say about a million people, roughly three percent of the electorate, cast their votes at home because they could not come to polls for health reasons. Early reports do not indicate systemic vote fraud. There are however, numerous accounts of minor infractions in some polling stations - food handed out as bribes, campaign material displayed after Fridays midnight deadline to remove it, ballot shortages, electric blackouts, cell phone pictures taken of ballots or residents of an entire building being   1 left off of a voter list. The Central Election Commission authorized about 3,000 international observers from North America, Europe and former Soviet republics. The Commission made no decision about 2,000 Georgians accused by Viktor Yanukovych of seeking to disrupt the vote in his eastern Ukrainian stronghold on behalf of rival Yulia Tymoshenko. Tbilisi says its citizens came as neutral observers. The legitimacy of the Election Commission itself could face a challenge after one of its members reached the mandatory