Ballot Box Delivers ‘Orange President’

According to data from the Central Election Committee, Yushchenko won 52.2 percent of the votes while current Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych won only 44 percent. Although international observers, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the US Congress, concluded there was no evidence of corruption at the re-held elections that could affect the outcome, pro-Moscow Yanukovych supporters are challenging the results. In a victory speech made just after the official results were announced, Yushchenko said, "Ukraine won its independence 14 years ago, but we are independent now." Yushchenko, 50, is a supporter of pro-western policies and is expected to initiate membership bids with the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). "Orange" victory meetings complete with fireworks spread throughout the streets of Kiev. Yushchenko supporters, who began to celebrate just after the closure of the ballots on the second round of elections held on Sunday, are working to hold an inauguration ceremony immediately.

Despite this, Yanukovych supporters claim there was widespread and planned corruption in the elections. After the second round of elections held on November 21st, Yushchenko officially appealed to the High Court and the Court had responded by declaring the election results to be invalid. Some interpret Yushchenko’s lead against his competitor in the latest round of elections to mean there is less risk of ‘going back to the beginning.’ The latest results have seriously troubled the eastern part of the country which supports Yanukovych. Reportedly, turnout at the elections was 77.3 percent in Ukraine and 37,400,000 Ukrainians had registered to vote.

The first person to congratulate Yushchenko was Georgian leader Mikhail Saakashvili, who came to power about a year ago in a "rose revolution." US Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said he was pleased with the result and described the event as an historic moment for democracy in Ukraine.

Defeat leads to suicide

Ukrainian Transportation Minister Heorhiy Kirpa, meanwhile, was found dead at his home yesterday evening with a gun. The death was ruled as a suicide. The current Prime Minister reportedly reprimanded and blamed Kirpa for his defeat because he failed to provide transportation to those who wanted to come to the capital from the eastern regions to support Yanukovych in opposition to Yushchenko supporters demonstrating after the elections.