VOA标准英语2010年-New Ukrainian Leader Faces Weak Public

Aides to Ukrainian presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko say she is planning a legal challenge to Sunday's presidential election results, which showed a victory for former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.  In any case, the new president will assume power with less than 50 percent of the vote and amid deep public distrust toward governmental institutions.

More than half of Ukraine's voters opposed Victor Yanukovych, the projected winner in Sunday's election.  

And about four percent of ballots² cast went to what was called "none of the above," meaning none of the candidates on the ballot¹. 

This and the country's constitutional structure will force compromise, says Oleh Soskin, Director of the Society Transformation³ Institute in Kyiv.

"The new president will need to reach agreements," said Oleh Soskin. "Ukraine's constitutional structure does not lend itself to dictatorship."

He says the prime minister retains the greatest executive authority.

And considerable power is shared with parliament.

Outgoing President Victor Yuschenko failed, says Soskin, because he acted with little regard for other institutions of government.

Ukrainians too heap scorn on parliament, whose members have voted immunity⁴ from prosecution⁵ for themselves.

Analysts⁷ say they are elected through an undemocratic process that calls for presidential attention.

Courts are considered among the most corrupt⁸ institutions in Ukraine.

Yuriy Yakymenko, at Kyiv's Razumkov Center research institute, says judges are not independent of the president.

"The disease of any authority begins at the top," said Yuriy Yakymenko. "If we see politicized appointment of judges, and if we see the judicial⁹ system is not independent of other branches of government, then these are the primary factors that open the possibility of illegal influence on judges."

The Foreign Ministry¹⁰ is controlled by the president, but he often faces domestic pressure to pursue specific policies.

Eastern Ukraine, for example, has pushed for closer economic and cultural ties with Russia. Mr. Yanukovych has promised to pursue such goals.

Many in Western Ukraine oppose them, among them Dmytro Korchynsky, leader of the UNSO nationalist organization.

"We expect Yanukovych to go back on his promises [of closer ties with Russia] but if he doesn't, this will lead to the mobilization of nationalist elements in society," said Dmytro Korchynsky.

Some analysts say the president may be urged by oligarchs not to follow through on pro-Russian campaign promises.

They point out that while Russia is investing in Ukraine, Ukrainian oligarchs are putting more of their money in Western Europe.

Analyst⁶ Yuriy Yakymenko: 

"If Russian capital penetrates¹¹ Ukraine it can gradually assume commanding positions and undermine the position of Ukrainian oligarchs," he said. "Therefore, I do not think they will support policies of maximum openness for Russia and thus reorientation of Ukrainian [foreign policy] from West to East."

Ukraine's voters, says Soskin, are practiced at voting out politicians and parties they feel have betrayed them - first the Communists, then the Socialists¹² and now President Yushchenko.

He says the new president will have to side with the people to clean up the country's institutions if he wishes to dodge¹³ the people's wrath¹⁴.

 

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

4 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

5 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

9 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

10 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

11 penetrates   

v.穿过( penetrate的第三人称单数 )；刺入；了解；渗透

参考例句：

• This is a telescope that penetrates to the remote parts of the universe. 这是一架能看到宇宙中遥远地方的望远镜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dust is so fine that it easily penetrates all the buildings. 尘土极细，能极轻易地钻入一切建筑物。 来自辞典例句

12 socialists   

社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment. 社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者。
• The Socialists junked dogma when they came to office in 1982. 社会党人1982年上台执政后，就把其政治信条弃之不顾。

13 dodge   

v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计

参考例句：

• A dodge behind a tree kept her from being run over.她向树后一闪，才没被车从身上辗过。
• The dodge was coopered by the police.诡计被警察粉碎了。

14 wrath   

n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒

参考例句：

• His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
• The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。