Ukrainian parliament opposes vote

Washington Times ^ | Sunday, November 28, 2004 | By Natalia A. Feduschak

[JohnHuang2]

The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com

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Ukrainian parliament opposes vote

By Natalia A. Feduschak
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published November 28, 2004

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KIEV -- Ukraine's parliament yesterday called last week's disputed presidential runoff election invalid, raising the possibility that a new election could be held as early as mid-December.
    Although the parliament resolution was not binding, it sent a powerful political message to the government of outgoing President Leonid Kuchma and could strengthen opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who has demanded a revote.
    "Maybe for the first time, the nation will love Ukraine's politicians, and politicians will love the people," Yulia Tymoshenko, an opposition leader, told screaming crowds several hours after the vote on the resolution.
    By an overwhelming majority, parliament also voted no confidence in the Central Election Commission -- saying it "discredited itself" -- and called for an investigation into accusations of election violations. The resolution also promised that force would not be used against protesters, a key demand from the international community, which has watched nervously as Ukraine's political crisis has teetered on the brink of mayhem.
    Although Mr. Kuchma must sign the parliament's resolution to make it effective, Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn said it would be hard for the president to ignore yesterday's decision.
    In an impassioned address, Mr. Lytvyn told lawmakers: "The most realistic political decision, taking into account the mutual claims of massive violations, is to pronounce the elections invalid."
    Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have poured into the streets of capital, Kiev, and other Ukrainian cities in the past six days to protest massive vote fraud.