The city of Zaporizhzhia will host the convention of the Party of the Regions of Ukraine that is expected to nominate its leader and current prime minister Viktor Yanukovich.
Leader of the Our Ukraine opposition bloc Viktor Yushchenko intends to head a meeting of his supporters in the capital to apply for presidency on the same day as an independent candidate.
Moroz, Simonenko, and Vitrenko used to run in previous presidential races. Moroz collected 13.33% of the vote in the first round in October 1994. In October 1999 his support was worth 11.29 % of the first round vote.
Simonenko reached runoff five years ago with 22.24 % of the original vote. As he faced incumbent president Leonid Kuchma in the runoff, he secured 37.8%, which did not allow him to become president.
Vitrenko collected 10.79% in the first round in 1999.
According to the latest polls, 24 to 26.6% of voters intend to vote for Yushchenko, and 16 to 18% for Yanukovich, making them most likely top dogs of the coming fight.
Although none has been registered as presidential candidate yet, "anti-electioneering" is already sweeping. National news services have announced that Yushchenko enjoyed support of radical right-wingers. Yanukovich has suffered from his criminal record - when a young man, the current Ukrainian prime minister served five years in prison on two different cases.
Although there are no mottos or electioneering yet, all political declarations seem to be the same. All candidates say they favor a democratic civil society, economic development, and higher living standards.
Differences begin where foreign policy comes in. Moroz, Simonenko, and Vitrenko endorse a Russian-oriented foreign policy, while Yushchenko and Yanukovich say Russia should be on equal terms among other priorities like EU and the U.S.
Under the current legislation, any registered voter and citizen of Ukraine, aged more than 35, mastering the state language (Ukrainian) and having a Ukrainian residence record of over 10 years can be elected president.
The Central Elections Commission shall register independent and party candidates within five days after application from an individual or the decision of the party convention. The candidate must produce his/her autobiography, income declaration, and transfer a security of 500,000 Ukrainian hryvnias (about 94,300 U.S. dollars) to the Commission's special account.
If the candidate collects no less than 7 % of the vote at the elections, the individual or the party that nominated him/her get back the security money.
The presidential election is scheduled for October 31. If neither candidate collects more than half the total vote, a runoff election will be held in three weeks, where two most successful candidates will meet.
