Ukrainian Court Suspends Election Results

[AkMike]

Here we go again..

Ukranian poll result suspended - The Irish Times - Wed, Feb 17, 2010

Ukranian poll result suspended
A Ukrainian court has suspended the official result of this month's presidential election after agreeing today to consider a challenge by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to Viktor Yanukovich's narrow win.

Few commentators expect Tymoshenko to be vindicated or for the case to delay the Feb. 25 inauguration of Yanukovich, a veteran politician who was denied the top job by the 2004 "Orange Revolution" protests against electoral fraud.

The Supreme Administrative Court is expected to issue its ruling by the end of the week.

Tymoshenko, personally lodging her complaint with the court yesterday, repeated her claims that Yanukovich's supporters cheated at several hundred polling stations, robbing her of victory in the Feb. 7 election.

Yanukovich and his Regions Party have brushed off the allegations.

The court said the official result of the election was suspended pending its review of Tymoshenko's complaint. It could have dismissed her allegations without a review of the case.

Political analysts have said Tymoshenko's challenge aims to undermine the legitimacy of Yanukovich, whose victory margin of around 890,000 votes compares to an electorate of 25.5 million.

Although the court case is not expected to delay the inauguration, Ukraine faces a tough few weeks, if not months, as a new political order takes shape.

Yanukovich's supporters in parliament are trying to win over parties to form a new coalition and, if they succeed, a vote of no confidence in Tymoshenko's government is expected.

Tymoshenko has urged her backers in parliament to hold their nerve. Her governing coalition has a slender majority and relies on supporters of her ally-turned-rival, outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko, for a majority.

Investors hope the coalition horsetrading will last only weeks and result in a stable government capable of bringing back

AP

[stepanstas]

Darn,

I jumped to the conclusion that they were dismissed.

Yulia has a tough case. There wasn't so much fraud as there were people selling votes.

Is that legal in Ukraine?

[AkMike]

Not legal but it sounds like it's common, Huh?

My wife's embarassed for her country because of this. During the last elections,(orange revolution) my wife worked at a voting precient. I waited around for her for several hours and alot of the workers and citizens thought I was an observer sent in by the UN or someone. LOL, I didn't see anyhting while I was there. BUT she got screwed out of her wages by the local boss..

[stepanstas]

I would be shocked if Yulia gets anywhere with this. I have no doubt that Yanukovich cheated, but I don't think it made the impact. It was the vote selling, and Yulia can't prove anything like that in court.

Here is what happened at one voting station. The girls are saying, don't sell your vote.







(more voting images here тНРН √ йНППЕЯОНМДЕМР)

UPDATE 1-For sale on Internet - Ukraine's election votes | Reuters

A family friend's son who lives in Kyiv was selling his vote online. Don't know if it worked out, supposedly he wanted a lot of money for it.

[AkMike]

I haven't seen it yet but my wife said that Putin claims there is no Ukraine anymore because of this. I sort of expect him to puut on his shiney armor,ride in on his white horse to save the day..

[bm-21Lemko]

Putin is comparable to a blockade. Disrupt progress in Ukraine and come in and provide the solution.

[stepanstas]

Originally Posted by AkMike

...Putin claims there is no Ukraine anymore because of this...

Because of this? hah

If for nothing else, there is no Ukraine because of him