EU renews call for free and fair elections in Ukraine

LUXEMBOURG, Oct 11 (AFP) - The European Union on Monday renewed a call for Ukrainian presidential elections due to be held at the end of the month to be "free, fair and transparent."
EU foreign ministers welcomed an invitation by the Ukrainian government to send election observers, and urged Kiev to "enable domestic observers, including non-partisan observers," to monitor the October 31 polls.
"Considering the conditions under which the campaign has taken place so far, the (EU) stresses the paramount importance of independence of the media and freedom of expression for a fair and transparent campaign," they said.
"The EU values Ukraine as a key neighbour and partner which also plays a major role in regional and global security," they added.
Former prime minister Viktor Yushchenko is leading in opinion polls ahead of the ballots in which he is challenging Prime Minister Victor Yanukovich, who is favored by parties that support outgoing President Leonid Kuchma.