Fmr president says Ukraine political situation is unpredictable

(5 Feb 2010)
1. Set up shot of Leonid Kuchma, former Ukrainian president
2. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Leonid Kuchma, former Ukrainian President:
"The situation is unpredictable in politics. As to the economy, the country is on the brink of default and its salvation was possible only thanks to loans from the International Monetary Fund. We are in debt and it will be so hard and lengthy to get clear that I won''t envy the future president and the future government."
3. Cutaway of certificate of Kuchma''s presidential foundation
4. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Leonid Kuchma, former Ukrainian President:
"Thank God, people have properly assessed the results of the Orange revolution by their voting during the (first-round) ballot."
5. Cutaway of Kuchma''s hands
6. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Leonid Kuchma, former Ukrainian President:
"There is no threat of a revolution, no doubt about this, despite the loud declarations by Yulia Vladimirovna (Tymoshenko). She has the right to declare this. Of course, she doesn''t want to lose power, but she is aware of the prevailing public opinion."
7. Wide shot of Kuchma from behind during interview
STORYLINE:
Ukraine''s former president said on Friday that situation is unpredictable as a presidential election approaches on Sunday, but there''s no threat of a revolution like the one in 2004 that brought the current leaders to power.
Leonid Kuchma told The Associated Press on Friday that Ukrainians are disappointed with outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who together led the Orange protests six years ago.
"There is no threat of a revolution, no doubt about this, despite the loud declarations by Yulia Vladimirovna (Tymoshenko)," said Kuchma.
"She has the right to declare this. Of course, she doesn''t want to lose power, but she is aware of the prevailing public opinion."
Russia-friendly opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych is facing off against Tymoshenko in Sunday''s vote.
Yanukovych won handily in the first round of voting last month, 35 percent to 25 percent.
Tymoshenko is expected to close at least some of the gap by picking up votes splintered among candidates in the first round.
"Thank God, people have properly assessed the results of the Orange revolution by their voting during the (first-round) ballot," Kuchma said.
Kiev authorities said on Friday they have received a permit application from Yanukovych supporters for a rally of up to 50,000 people around the city the day after the vote.
Meanwhile, Yushchenko instructed Interior Ministry troops to secure the Central Election Commission, which was surrounded by some 250 burly Yanukovych partisans who said they were there to protect the integrity of the election.
Tymoshenko accused Yanukovych on Thursday of plotting to steal the vote and vowed to stage mass street protests in a replay of the 2004 Orange demonstrations.
The fiery and glamorous Tymoshenko helped lead the Orange revolt, which rallied hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians demanding economic and political reform.
The campaigns of both candidates were to culminate on Friday evening in rallies at two separate Kiev squares one block apart.
Both were expected to draw thousands of supporters, raising fears of clashes.
Both candidates have strong geographic constituencies. Tymoshenko is popular in western Ukraine, while Yanukovych is the standard-bearer for the east, centre of the country''s large ethnic Russian minority.

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