Ukraine’s chief fires election commission

KIEV, Ukraine – Outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma agreed early today to sack the nation’s discredited Central Election Commission and support legislation to guard against fraud in a planned Dec. 26 revote for president.

The measures are intended to pave the way for a smooth rerun of the Nov. 21 contest between opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, which the Supreme Court declared invalid due to fraud. But there were indications that each side might try to attach conditions to the measures in parliament.

Kuchma spoke briefly to reporters after a six-hour negotiating session attended by European Union mediators, Yushchenko and Yanukovych.

In a carefully worded statement, Kuchma said the participants had agreed on “the necessity” to adopt election law amendments “that would envisage a mechanism for conducting transparent and fair elections, making abuse and falsifications impossible.”

Kuchma indicated that he was prepared to revise the makeup of the Central Election Commission in line with parliament’s wishes.

Yushchenko’s supporters have pressed for changes to the election law and election commission, which they say has been biased in favor of Yanukovych, Kuchma’s handpicked successor.

In spite of apparent agreement on those matters, Kuchma indicated that the two sides may try to link those reforms to other issues. He indicated that they retained sharp differences on several key points.

Yushchenko’s camp has demanded Kuchma dismiss Yanukovych as prime minister, in line with a recent parliamentary vote of no-confidence. Yanukovych’s camp, along with Kuchma, has insisted electoral reform be linked to constitutional reforms transferring presidential powers to the prime minister.

Also apparently unresolved is whether Yushchenko’s supporters would lift their blockades of key government buildings in Kiev, the capital.