Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko said he is 'certain' that government authorities are responsible for poisoning him with dioxin. The government has already been accused of falsifying election returns to re-elect Yushchenko's opponent, Viktor Yanukovich.

The dioxin poisoning caused Yushchenko's face and body to swell up and to become pock marked. He is bloated and clearly distressed. Doctors in Austria dignosed the poisoning over the weekend. It may take two years for the dioxin to fully leave Yushchenko's body.

The opposition leader called for an investigtation into the case while accusing government officials of the poisoning. 'I am convinced that this is the work of the authorities, absolutely convinced,' Yushchenko said at Kiev airport shortly after his return from Austria. 'Time is now needed for the investigation. A lot of the circumstances are already known. I think if the general prosecutor acts according to Ukraine's laws, both the country and the world at large will soon know who did this.'

Yanukovich denied any involvement in the poisoning. According to some experts, dioxin may have been chosen because it is very difficult to detect. 'Until recently there was no blood test for dioxin,' said Dr. Michael Zimpfer, president of the Rudolfinerhaus clinic. 'This may be one of the reasons why this kind of poison, if it was a criminal act, was chosen,' he said. 'We detected blood levels (of dioxin) at least 1,000-fold above tolerable levels.'

Despite repeated accusations, Yushchenko said he does not want this revelation to be a major factor in the campaign. Elections are scheduled in Ukraine for December 26th. Meanwhile, it appears the country has a lot more to learn about running fair, democratic elections.