Ukraine’s parliament says election invalid
Kiev, Ukraine ? Ukraine’s parliament declared the country’s disputed presidential election invalid Saturday amid international calls for a new vote, fueling what has become a political tug-of-war between the West and Moscow over the future of this former Soviet republic.
The elections commission chief also said he was not opposed to a revote.
Parliament’s vote, which was symbolic and has no legal standing, came as representatives of the two presidential rivals sought a solution in talks mediated by European envoys. Demonstrators jammed downtown Kiev in freezing weather for a sixth straight day, alleging the Nov. 21 vote was rigged and robbed their candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, of victory.
Thousands of demonstrators joined Yushchenko in demanding a new vote. A European Union envoy, Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot, said new elections were the “ideal outcome” for the standoff between Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who was declared the winner by the Central Elections Commission.
Asked if new elections were the only solution, Ben Bot answered: “Yes.”
The Unian news agency, citing Russia’s RIA-Novosti, quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko as saying Friday that Moscow regarded a potential revote favorably — an apparent significant retreat from its earlier insistence that the elections were fair and valid.
Parliament also passed a vote of no confidence in the elections commission, saying it “discredited itself” by declaring Yanukovych the winner by 3 percentage points.
The symbolic act apparently aligned the legislators with those wanting the results annulled. The Supreme Court will make the ultimate decision after hearing an appeal of the results by Yushchenko supporters Monday.
Yanukovych will not be inaugurated before that appeal is decided. Regional courts also are considering some 11,000 complaints — from both sides — about alleged voting fraud.
Ukrainian demonstrators gather Saturday in the main square of Kiev to protest fraud in the presidential election between Western-leaning opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko and his Russian-backed rival, Viktor Yanukovych.
The United States and other Western nations contend the poll was marred by massive fraud.
At President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, White House spokesman Jim Morrell said, “We are hopeful that the developments of the past two days can pave the way for a democratic process which reflects the will of the Ukrainian people. We continue to call on all parties to work to achieve a fair and just outcome without the use of force.”
Representatives of Yanukovych and Yushchenko met Saturday under a program worked out a day earlier with European envoys. A Yushchenko representative, Ivan Plyushch, was quoted by the Interfax news agency after the meeting as saying, “It seems to me that the sides have the constructive wish to reach compromise.”
Yanukovych aide Stepan Havrysh, who was to participate, said earlier he believed it might be possible to reach an agreement within two days.
Photo Gallery: Elections in Ukraine