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UKRAINE CEC DECLARES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION VALID
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.01.2010 14:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych and current
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko are heading for a runoff on February
7 in Ukraine's presidential vote, RIA Novosti reported.
Sunday's presidential vote, declared valid by the Central Election
Committee, was the first since the 2004 "orange revolution" protests
that brought to power the pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko. He
has been determined to set the ex-Soviet state on a path to join NATO
and the EU, and has been involved in bitter energy rows with Moscow,
which affected supplies to Europe, and a dispute over a key Russian
naval base in the Crimea.
With 60% of ballots counted, Yanukovych leads with 36.38% of votes
followed by Tymoshenko on 24.41%. Neither candidate will secure the
50% of votes needed for outright victory.
Yanukovych, 59, enjoys support of mainly Russian-speaking eastern
regions. Tymoshenko, 49, a leader of the "orange revolution" protests
amid election fraud accusations against Yanukovych, is popular in the
country's west. Both of them pledged to improve ties with Russia,
also soured over Kiev's support for Georgia in the August 2008 war
over South Ossetia.
Yanukovych has vowed that Ukraine will remain a nonaligned country.
"Ukraine will never be a bloc state and will join no military
alliance. This is the Ukrainian people's position, which we should
respect," the leader of the Party of Regions said.
Both Tymoshenko and Yanukovych were reported to be in talks with other
candidates, including banker Serhiy Tyhypko, who is third with 13.22%
of the vote, to win their voters' support in the runoff.
Tyhypko has said he will not support a candidate in the runoff.
President Yushchenko, now a fierce critic of former ally Tymoshenko,
has about 5% of the vote.
Election authorities said on Monday citing preliminary figures that
turnout was above 66%, which is well below the figure reported after
the 2004 presidential polls.
Yanukovych and Tymoshenko have pledged to protest against the results
if they lose the vote, echoing the 2004 mass street protests.
Observers, however, said a repeat of rallies is unlikely as Ukrainians
have grown tired of political infighting aggravated by the economic
crisis.
The Central Election Commission said no serious violations were
reported during the election.
Under the Ukrainian law, the country's president is elected for a
5-year term. To win, the contender should garner over 50% of votes.
Otherwise, two candidates with the maximum number of votes will run
for a second round due in three week's time.
These are the fifth presidential elections in Ukraine since the
country's gaining independence.
Twice winner in presidential elections was Leonid Kuchma. The country's
first leader Leonid Kravchuk was elected on December 1, 1991 when
Ukraine was simultaneously holding an independence referendum.
The second presidential ballot was held ahead of time (1994).
Presidential and parliamentary elections were appointed after miners'
strikes, with 7 contenders running for presidency. Kravchuk received
38.36% of votes in the first round, his main rival being the country's
ex-premier Kuchma (31.17%). As a result of the second round, the
acting president received 45.6% of votes, ranking the second after
Kuchma (52.15%).
During the third election held in 1999 there were 13 candidates
running for presidency.
The fourth presidential election were held in 2004, with 24 contenders
running for the post of the country's top leader. Elections were
accompanied by mass protests in Independence Square. Considering the
electoral wrongdoings , the Supreme Court made decision on holding
repeated election which resulted in the victory of Victor Yushchenko
( December 26, 2004).
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.01.2010 14:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych and current
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko are heading for a runoff on February
7 in Ukraine's presidential vote, RIA Novosti reported.
Sunday's presidential vote, declared valid by the Central Election
Committee, was the first since the 2004 "orange revolution" protests
that brought to power the pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko. He
has been determined to set the ex-Soviet state on a path to join NATO
and the EU, and has been involved in bitter energy rows with Moscow,
which affected supplies to Europe, and a dispute over a key Russian
naval base in the Crimea.
With 60% of ballots counted, Yanukovych leads with 36.38% of votes
followed by Tymoshenko on 24.41%. Neither candidate will secure the
50% of votes needed for outright victory.
Yanukovych, 59, enjoys support of mainly Russian-speaking eastern
regions. Tymoshenko, 49, a leader of the "orange revolution" protests
amid election fraud accusations against Yanukovych, is popular in the
country's west. Both of them pledged to improve ties with Russia,
also soured over Kiev's support for Georgia in the August 2008 war
over South Ossetia.
Yanukovych has vowed that Ukraine will remain a nonaligned country.
"Ukraine will never be a bloc state and will join no military
alliance. This is the Ukrainian people's position, which we should
respect," the leader of the Party of Regions said.
Both Tymoshenko and Yanukovych were reported to be in talks with other
candidates, including banker Serhiy Tyhypko, who is third with 13.22%
of the vote, to win their voters' support in the runoff.
Tyhypko has said he will not support a candidate in the runoff.
President Yushchenko, now a fierce critic of former ally Tymoshenko,
has about 5% of the vote.
Election authorities said on Monday citing preliminary figures that
turnout was above 66%, which is well below the figure reported after
the 2004 presidential polls.
Yanukovych and Tymoshenko have pledged to protest against the results
if they lose the vote, echoing the 2004 mass street protests.
Observers, however, said a repeat of rallies is unlikely as Ukrainians
have grown tired of political infighting aggravated by the economic
crisis.
The Central Election Commission said no serious violations were
reported during the election.
Under the Ukrainian law, the country's president is elected for a
5-year term. To win, the contender should garner over 50% of votes.
Otherwise, two candidates with the maximum number of votes will run
for a second round due in three week's time.
These are the fifth presidential elections in Ukraine since the
country's gaining independence.
Twice winner in presidential elections was Leonid Kuchma. The country's
first leader Leonid Kravchuk was elected on December 1, 1991 when
Ukraine was simultaneously holding an independence referendum.
The second presidential ballot was held ahead of time (1994).
Presidential and parliamentary elections were appointed after miners'
strikes, with 7 contenders running for presidency. Kravchuk received
38.36% of votes in the first round, his main rival being the country's
ex-premier Kuchma (31.17%). As a result of the second round, the
acting president received 45.6% of votes, ranking the second after
Kuchma (52.15%).
During the third election held in 1999 there were 13 candidates
running for presidency.
The fourth presidential election were held in 2004, with 24 contenders
running for the post of the country's top leader. Elections were
accompanied by mass protests in Independence Square. Considering the
electoral wrongdoings , the Supreme Court made decision on holding
repeated election which resulted in the victory of Victor Yushchenko
( December 26, 2004).