Moscow: Political instability loomed
large over Ukraine as pro-West Premier Yulia Tymoshenko
refused to conceded defeat even after a preliminary
presidential poll count today showed her being narrowly
defeated by the pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych.
Yanukovych, who won the presidential polls with slim
margin today asked his rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko
to concede defeat and quit her job, even as the firebrand
leader of the 2004 west-sponsored 'Orange Revolution' has
demanded recount of votes in the Sunday's runoff.
With 100 per cent of ballots counted Yanukovych ended
with 3.48 per cent lead against Tymoshenko, who for third day
is not seen in public, however prominent members of her 'BYuT'
bloc have called for recount of votes in several regions swept
by the rival.
"We demand that the votes be recounted in Crimea,
Lugansk and Donetsk regions and the results declared invalid,"
Oleh Lyashko, MP, a prominent Tymoshenko-loyalist was quoted
as saying by the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN.
Yanukovych, who won the polls with slim margin said
in a statement circulated in Kiev, "I am making a formal
appeal to the prime minister to resign and move to the
opposition," adding that the democratic leaders should accept
the popular verdict.
International monitors have declared the
presidential polls as 'free and fair' and the US Embassy in
Kiev on its website called it a "step forward" in Ukraine's
democratic development.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 22:21