The Kyiv Post is reporting that one of Yushchenko’s main reforms needs to be of the post-KGB security agency, the SBU.

(AP) – One of the toughest tasks facing Viktor Yushchenko as Ukraine’s new president likely will be overhauling the State Security Service, the KGB successor agency alleged to have been involved in an array of devious and deadly activities.

The cases of other Soviet-bloc countries show that success or failure could determine how well democracy takes root in Ukraine – but the issue is complicated by indications that security forces played a role in averting a crackdown on Yushchenko’s “Orange Revolution.”

Since the 38,000-strong SBU was formed in 1991 after independence from the Soviet Union, it is alleged to have been connected to organized crime, shady weapons deals and the deaths of several prominent opposition politicians and journalists.

It is suspected of involvement in the September dioxin poisoning of Yushchenko, which took him off the campaign trail for weeks and left his face badly disfigured. He fell ill from the poisoning within hours after having dinner with top SBU officials.

Throughout the region, security agency reform has been a mixed bag of results.

A mixed bag alright. But in my mind, that is the unimportant issue. The fact that the agency can influence the country’s electoral process to such a high degree under cover is much more disturbing.

The Czech Republic – now a successful market-driven democracy – dissolved its former communist secret police, the STB, after the 1989 Velvet Revolution and barred former high-ranking communists and secret police agents from holding public office.

I think Yushchenko would do pretty well for himself starting there. That goes on the heels of other calls for the government slate to be completely wiped clean, with only new, young, and uncorrupt individuals being appointed to the government.