Russian-Born Millionaire Wins Lithuania Ballot

 

By Stefan Bos

Lithuanian election officials say a party led by a Russian-born millionaire has won the initial round of the country's first parliamentary ballot¹ since it joined the European Union and NATO earlier this year.

The Election Commission in Vilnius said Lithuania's Labor² Party, which was founded last year by Russian-born millionaire Viktor Uspaskich, won the first round of the elections with more than 28 percent of the votes.

Lithuania's ruling coalition³ of the Social Democrat⁴ and Social Liberal parties, led by Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas, was in second place with roughly 20 percent of the vote. The Conservative Party came third, followed by smaller parties.

A second and final election round will be held October 24 in those constituencies where no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote.

The populist party's success has been linked to widespread anger about corruption⁵ and the center-left coalition's perceived failure to improve living standards.

Average monthly income in the small Baltic nation of 3.5 million people is about $435, which is several times less than in Western European countries.

Mr. Uspaskich has promised to raise pensions and salaries and to tackle corruption. But some Lithuanians are concerned about the prospect⁶ of a Russian-born politician running their daily affairs. Critics also question Mr. Uspaskich's Russian business ties.

The 45-year-old businessman was born in Siberia and came to Lithuania in 1985 to manage the construction of a natural gas pipeline⁷. He later worked as an intermediary between the government of newly independent Lithuania and OAO Gazprom, the world's biggest natural gas producer, to arrange payment for gas supplies to the country. He also heads a group of 40 companies mostly involved in food processing that employs 4,000 people.

Addressing those concerns, Mr. Uspaskich has suggested he would be prepared to accept the job of vice⁸ prime minister, even if his party wins most of the 141 parliamentary seats.

Mr. Uspaskich told reporters that he could participate in a coalition of current 72-year old Prime Minister Brazauskas who he described as a politician with "a huge amount of experience" that in his words "could be very useful for the country."

Whoever wins, no major changes are expected in Lithuania's pro-Western foreign policy. But the prime minister has suggested that he will only be willing to cooperate with Mr. Uspaskich, if he accepts his program.

The country has seen 12 governments come and go since 1991 when it gained independence after decades of Soviet⁹ rule.

Analysts¹⁰ say the elections have been closely watched by Russia, which still ships most of its European oil exports through the Baltic states.

Stefan Bos, for VOA news, Budapest.
注释：
Lithuanian 立陶宛
millionaire 大富豪
parliamentary 议会的
ballot 投票
Vilnius 维尔纽斯（立陶宛共和国首都）
Baltic 波罗的海的
pension 养老金
Siberia 西伯利亚
Soviet 苏联

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 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

7 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

10 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。