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Tymoshenko bloc 'contests result' Move to contest Ukrainian result
(about 2 hours later)
Members of Yulia Tymoshenko's bloc say they will contest in court the conduct of Ukraine's presidential vote after her apparent defeat, media reports say. Supporters of defeated Ukrainian election candidate Yulia Tymoshenko say they want to challenge the results of Sunday's vote in court.
One official said it would contest results in some areas and seek recounts while another reportedly accused Viktor Yanukovych's party of "falsification". An MP from her electoral bloc said that it suspected vote-rigging in 1,000 polling stations.
Mrs Tymoshenko has not spoken in public but reportedly told allies she would "never" accept Mr Yanukovych's win. Mrs Tymoshenko has reportedly told allies she will "never" accept Viktor Yanukovych as the winner of the poll.
However, foreign monitors have said the election was free and fair. However, with nearly 100% of the votes counted, foreign monitors are saying the election was free and fair.
Observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) were unusually blunt, warning the country's political leaders they should listen to the people's verdict and make sure the transition of power was peaceful, the BBC's Richard Galpin reports from the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.Observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) were unusually blunt, warning the country's political leaders they should listen to the people's verdict and make sure the transition of power was peaceful, the BBC's Richard Galpin reports from the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
We will do everything to prove that this election was falsified Serhiy Sobolev Tymoshenko bloc MPWe will do everything to prove that this election was falsified Serhiy Sobolev Tymoshenko bloc MP
With more than 99% of votes counted after Sunday's poll, Mr Yanukovych was estimated to be ahead on some 48.83% of the vote, while Mrs Tymoshenko had around 45.59%. And Russia made its position clear on Tuesday, with President Dmitry Medvedev formally congratulating Mr Yanukovych by name on his victory.
Yanukovych supporters have been gathering in Kiev in anticipation of the announcement of the full election results. With 99.94% of votes counted after Sunday's poll, Mr Yanukovych had won 48.94% to 45.48% for Mrs Tymoshenko.
Yanukovych supporters have been gathering in Kiev in anticipation of the announcement of the full election results, which are expected later on Tuesday, according to Russia's Interfax news agency.
His discredited victory in the 2004 presidential election, which was marred by widespread fraud, sparked the Orange Revolution, led by Mrs Tymoshenko's former ally, Viktor Yushchenko.His discredited victory in the 2004 presidential election, which was marred by widespread fraud, sparked the Orange Revolution, led by Mrs Tymoshenko's former ally, Viktor Yushchenko.
The latter was elected president when the vote was re-run but his popularity quickly declined and he was eliminated from the first round of this year's election. The latter was elected president when the result was annulled and the election re-run, but his popularity quickly declined and he was eliminated from the first round of this year's election.
Ukraine faces serious economic problems as well as internal divisions over whether to look to the EU and Nato, or Russia.Ukraine faces serious economic problems as well as internal divisions over whether to look to the EU and Nato, or Russia.
'Cynical violation' 'Bloc divided'
Olena Shustik, a deputy leader of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, said it would "challenge the results at certain polling stations and seek a recount at those stations". Speaking at a news conference, Tymoshenko MP Andriy Shkil said the results from 1,000 polling stations could be challenged in court.
"If the result in the courts is positive, we will question the overall result of the elections," she added, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
About 1,000 polling-stations are believed to be in question.
In a statement published earlier on the bloc's website, Ms Shustik said the vote in eastern and southern Ukraine had been "distorted because of fraud".
Ukraine is still awaiting the final results of the electionUkraine is still awaiting the final results of the election
In Ukraine's parliament, bloc member Serhiy Sobolev was quoted by Reuters news agency as telling MPs: "Voting day displayed a cynical violation of Ukrainian law by the teams of Yanukovych, pressure on the electors and a broad arsenal of falsification by the Regions Party [of Viktor Yanukovych]. "We will recognise the victory only if we fail to prove the violations that resulted in this victory, in the courts," said Mr Shkil.
"Consequently, the Tymoshenko bloc announces that we will defend in the courts our right, and the rights of our citizens, to honest and transparent elections. But the final decision to mount a challenge will be taken by Yulia Tymoshenko herself and she has not spoken in public since Sunday night when she denounced her Mr Yanukovych for declaring victory so quickly after voting ended, our correspondent says.
"We will do everything to prove that this election was falsified," he said, according to AFP news agency. She scheduled news conferences in Kiev twice on Monday but then cancelled them. Her spokeswoman told the BBC Mrs Tymoshenko would speak on Tuesday but later reports suggested she might issue a statement instead.
"We will prepare appeals to the courts in the next days." In a statement published on the bloc's website, deputy leader Olena Shustik said the vote in eastern and southern Ukraine had been "distorted because of fraud".
Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda daily quoted Mrs Tymoshenko as telling her party at a private meeting on Monday: "I will never recognise the legitimacy of Yanukovych's victory with such elections."Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda daily quoted Mrs Tymoshenko as telling her party at a private meeting on Monday: "I will never recognise the legitimacy of Yanukovych's victory with such elections."
She had, the paper said, instructed her lawyers to prepare to contest the electoral results in court.She had, the paper said, instructed her lawyers to prepare to contest the electoral results in court.
However, the paper added that some members of her bloc disagreed with her, calling instead for her to acknowledge defeat, step down as prime minister and move into opposition.However, the paper added that some members of her bloc disagreed with her, calling instead for her to acknowledge defeat, step down as prime minister and move into opposition.
Praise for ballotPraise for ballot
International monitors described the election as an impressive display of democracy.International monitors described the election as an impressive display of democracy.
The OSCE's head of mission, Joao Soares, said Ukraine's electoral commission had been transparent and unbiased.The OSCE's head of mission, Joao Soares, said Ukraine's electoral commission had been transparent and unbiased.
The reign of the Orange movement was a complete failure for the country Dmitry Fedotov Donetsk Voters reactThe reign of the Orange movement was a complete failure for the country Dmitry Fedotov Donetsk Voters react
EU foreign affairs chief, Baroness Ashton, said the EU was ready to work with the new president. Mr Yanukovych is seen by analysts as being closer to Moscow than Brussels. The EU and US both welcomed the conduct of the election, without referring to Mr Yanukovych as the winner. Mr Yanukovych is seen by analysts as being closer to Moscow than Brussels.
"The European Union remains committed to deepening the relationship with Ukraine and supporting it in implementing its reform agenda," she said. "I should in particular like to congratulate the people of Ukraine for the high turn out in both rounds of the elections and the strong commitment demonstrated to the democratic process," said EU foreign affairs chief Baroness Ashton in a statement.
"It looks forward to working with the new president to this end." The EU, she added, remained "committed to deepening the relationship with Ukraine and supporting it in implementing its reform agenda" and looked "forward to working with the new president to this end".
The US embassy in Kiev described the election as "another step in the consolidation of Ukraine's democracy".
The Russian ambassador to Ukraine, Mikhail Zurabov, said he expected Russian-Ukrainian relations to improve whoever assumed the presidency.The Russian ambassador to Ukraine, Mikhail Zurabov, said he expected Russian-Ukrainian relations to improve whoever assumed the presidency.
"One can mention dozens of projects which could long since have been implemented for the benefit of the two countries, but which either have not received any attention or have been stopped over the past five years," he said, referring to Mr Yushchenko's tenure."One can mention dozens of projects which could long since have been implemented for the benefit of the two countries, but which either have not received any attention or have been stopped over the past five years," he said, referring to Mr Yushchenko's tenure.
"I think that now there will be such a reset," the Russian ambassador to Ukraine said. Mr Zurabov added that he now believed a "reset" would take place.