Ukraine court rejects PM's election complaints

Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich's bid to overturn his liberal rival's victory in a presidential election lay in tatters yesterday after Ukraine's Supreme Court threw out his complaints.

With West-leaning Viktor Yushchenko already discussing his post-election programme, Mr Yanukovich suffered a further blow when the Central Election Commission threw out his objections about voting irregularities.

Yet he has refused to bow to opponents' demands to quit. Although Yushchenko holds a lead of about eight percentage points in the preliminary count, a Yanukovich aide said new legal challenges were planned once the poll's result is officially published.

Supreme Court spokeswoman Liana Shlyaposhnikova said judges had now rejected all four complaints submitted by Mr Yanukovich's team concerning the organisation of last Sunday's re-run of the November 21 poll, which had been rigged in Mr Yanukovich's favour.

"The last complaint will not be considered. All four complaints were rejected," she said, adding that two were filed too late and two were not clearly drawn up.

The Central Election Commission, which oversaw the poll, also rejected his allegation of widespread fraud submitted in 27 volumes of evidence.

Mr Yanukovich's campaign manager, Taras Chornovil, speaking before the Commission handed down its decision, said the prime minister remained determined to appeal again to the Supreme Court after the official results were announced.

But he appeared resigned to Mr Yushchenko's victory.

"We'll go to the Supreme Court. But, in these circumstances, I don't have any great hope in the Court," he said.

"We cannot recognise Yushchenko as president. But nor do we want to divide Ukraine. We ask our fellow citizens to abide by laws... We will win the 2006 parliamentary elections."

Mr Yushchenko's ally Yuri Kluchkovsky accused Mr Yanukovich's camp of wasting time in order to delay an official result.

Mr Yushchenko has begun setting down the aims of an administration he says will encourage business, uproot corruption and improve ties with western Europe.

But, in a sign of possible trouble ahead, autocratic Turkmenistan announced it was suspending vital natural gas supplies as of Jan. 1 in a row over pricing. The Central Asian state supplies nearly half of Ukraine's gas needs.

Parliament's speaker, a key figure in resolving weeks of turmoil, had earlier congratulated Mr Yushchenko, saying his victory would help "in forming and consolidating an honest, transparent system of power directly linked to the people".

Volodymyr Lytvyn led parliament's efforts to strike a deal to call the new election after weeks of protests and a Supreme Court decision to annul Mr Yanukovich's initial victory.

Western countries have also offered congratulations, though Russia has remained silent along with most ex-Soviet states.

One notable exception was Georgia, which underwent its own upheaval against election fraud last year. Its president, Mikhail Saakashvili, was due to appear alongside Mr Yushchenko at New Year's eve celebrations in Kiev's Independence Square.

Sacked by parliament at the height of the protests, Mr Yanukovich remains in office solely because outgoing President Leonid Kuchma has not signed the necessary decree.

On Wednesday, having been stopped by protesters from chairing a cabinet meeting, he admitted it was difficult to fulfil his duties but repeated he would not quit.