Yushchenko lost 49.4% to 46.7% but he said the vote was rigged and so
he had himself sworn in as president and tens of thousands of his
supporters are cheering him on!! Goddammit - when these people are
screwed, they fight; unlike american democrats who invariably choose
to "move on".

http://start.earthlink.net/newsarticle?cat=0&aid=1123072538_breakingnews_story

November 23, 2004 10:11 PM EST

KIEV, Ukraine - Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma called for
negotiations in Ukraine's spiraling political crisis Tuesday, hours
after the leader of the opposition, Yushchenko, declared himself the
winner of a disputed presidential election to the approval of tens of
thousands of protesters.

Earlier in the day, Yushchenko threatened a campaign of civil
disobedience to back the opposition's charge that authorities rigged
Sunday's vote in favor of Yanukovych.

"Ukraine is on the threshold of a civil conflict," Yushchenko told
lawmakers gathered for an emergency session. "We have two choices:
Either the answer will be given by the parliament, or the streets will
give an answer."

(snip)


The election commission's announcement that Yanukovych led Yushchenko
galvanized anger among many of Ukraine's 48 million people. Official
results, with more than 99.48 percent of precincts counted, put
Yanukovych ahead with 49.39 percent of the votes to his challenger's
46.71 percent. But several exit polls indicated Yushchenko was the
winner.

Western observers criticized the election as widely flawed by multiple
voting and apparently inflated turnout figures in Yanukovych's
stronghold eastern districts.

(snip)

Demonstrations have been peaceful so far, but fears ran high they
could deteriorate into violence - either out of the protesters'
frustration or attacks by Yanukovych supporters.

Tens of thousands of Yushchenko supporters cheered their candidate
outside parliament during the special session Tuesday, waving orange
flags and chanting "Criminals go away!" With many of the prime
minister's backers absent, the session did not muster a quorum and
concluded without taking action on a measure to nullify the election.

Immediately afterward, Yushchenko went to the podium and took an oath
of office, his right hand on the constitution and his left on a Bible.
Pro-Yushchenko lawmakers, who had urged him to take the oath, shouted,
"Bravo, Mr. President!"

The irregular procedure was not legally binding, parliament speaker
Volodymyr Lytvyn said. But its symbolic weight was considerable - a
declaration that Yushchenko did not intend to back off.

A half-dozen large cities already have declared they recognize
Yushchenko as president, and Kiev's city council called on the
national parliament to declare the vote invalid.

Yushchenko lost 49.4% to 46.7% but he said the vote was rigged and so
he had himself sworn in as president and tens of thousands of his
supporters are cheering him on!! Goddammit - when these people are
screwed, they fight; unlike american democrats who invariably choose
to "move on".

http://start.earthlink.net/newsarticle?cat=0&aid=1123072538_breakingnews_story

November 23, 2004 10:11 PM EST

KIEV, Ukraine - Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma called for
negotiations in Ukraine's spiraling political crisis Tuesday, hours
after the leader of the opposition, Yushchenko, declared himself the
winner of a disputed presidential election to the approval of tens of
thousands of protesters.

Earlier in the day, Yushchenko threatened a campaign of civil
disobedience to back the opposition's charge that authorities rigged
Sunday's vote in favor of Yanukovych.

"Ukraine is on the threshold of a civil conflict," Yushchenko told
lawmakers gathered for an emergency session. "We have two choices:
Either the answer will be given by the parliament, or the streets will
give an answer."

(snip)


The election commission's announcement that Yanukovych led Yushchenko
galvanized anger among many of Ukraine's 48 million people. Official
results, with more than 99.48 percent of precincts counted, put
Yanukovych ahead with 49.39 percent of the votes to his challenger's
46.71 percent. But several exit polls indicated Yushchenko was the
winner.

Western observers criticized the election as widely flawed by multiple
voting and apparently inflated turnout figures in Yanukovych's
stronghold eastern districts.

(snip)

Demonstrations have been peaceful so far, but fears ran high they
could deteriorate into violence - either out of the protesters'
frustration or attacks by Yanukovych supporters.

Tens of thousands of Yushchenko supporters cheered their candidate
outside parliament during the special session Tuesday, waving orange
flags and chanting "Criminals go away!" With many of the prime
minister's backers absent, the session did not muster a quorum and
concluded without taking action on a measure to nullify the election.

Immediately afterward, Yushchenko went to the podium and took an oath
of office, his right hand on the constitution and his left on a Bible.
Pro-Yushchenko lawmakers, who had urged him to take the oath, shouted,
"Bravo, Mr. President!"

The irregular procedure was not legally binding, parliament speaker
Volodymyr Lytvyn said. But its symbolic weight was considerable - a
declaration that Yushchenko did not intend to back off.

A half-dozen large cities already have declared they recognize
Yushchenko as president, and Kiev's city council called on the
national parliament to declare the vote invalid.