Ukraine court orders review of Tymoshenko poll bid

KIEV, Aug 14 (Reuters) A Ukrainian court today overturned a ruling by election officials that would have kept former premier Yulia Tymoshenko out of an election next month, and ordered them to re-examine her registration documents.

Tymoshenko, who roused crowds in Kiev during the 2004 ''Orange Revolution'' against electoral fraud, has realigned herself with President Viktor Yushchenko for the parliamentary election after a period of estrangement.

Her bloc was barred from running at the weekend on grounds that its candidates had provided incomplete home addresses.

''I believe this will put an end to all provocative actions against our bloc. It is now clear that the election commission was simply wrong,'' Tymoshenko said in televised comments after the court hearing.

''It is also clear to every Ukrainian that this was plain and simple political repression.'' Under the court ruling, the Central Election Commission must undertake a new examination of Tymoshenko's list by tomorrow.

Tymoshenko, sporting a white suit and her trademark peasant braid, said she had no intention of amending the documents.

Yushchenko yesterday had urged officials to resolve the row and allow Tymoshenko to take part in the election, intended to end months of confrontation pitting the president against his arch rival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.

Thousands of Tymoshenko's backers have set up a makeshift camp outside the commission's headquarters to denounce the decision.

But approval of her bloc's list has seemed inevitable. Even Yanukovich's supporters acknowledge she will be in the race.

Tymoshenko was Yushchenko's first prime minister after he was elected, but was sacked within eight months. They have vowed to work together in next month's poll, but Tymoshenko's hopefuls will run separately from the president's Our Ukraine party.

The former premier had accused the commission of bowing to pressure from Yanukovich, who was defeated in a re-run of the rigged 2004 election but returned to office after his party took first place in a parliamentary poll last year.

Yushchenko dissolved parliament and called the new election after accusing Yanukovich of illegally enticing deputies to expand his majority in the 450-seat assembly.

Polls suggest little change will occur in parliament's make-up. Yanukovich's party, allied with the Communists, has more than 30 per cent support, while Our Ukraine and the Tymoshenko bloc each have about 15 per cent.

REUTERS RSA KP2352