KIEV, Sept. 6 – Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the largest opposition group in Parliament, on Monday asked foreign diplomats to keep an eye on the authorities to prevent fraud at upcoming local elections.

Bowing to international pressure, President Viktor Yanukovych’s coalition on Aug. 30 voted to amend controversial election legislation, but Tymoshenko said there was still room for fraud ahead of the Oct. 31 vote.

“I would like to ask you to use all diplomatic means to prevent a gross violation of [opposition] parties’ rights,” Tymoshenko said.

Yanukovych’s coalition voted in June to approve the legislation that had prohibited parties from nominating candidates if their local branches had been registered less than a year ago.