Yanukovych loses again in Ukraine fight

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s appeal against the result of the presidential election re-run was rejected by the Central Election Commission today.

The commission said the Kremlin favourite “had not proved there were any mass violations, a commission member said.

“Evidence submitted in the claim does not prove mass violations” and could not “influence or effect the results of the vote,” said commission member Marina Tsavniychuk, reading from the commission’s decision.

Yanukovych’s campaign team now has the option to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Yanukovych had submitted 27 volumes of complaints to the commission, claiming at least 4.8 million people – mainly disabled and sick – were deprived of their right to vote by the election reforms passed by parliament after last month’s fraudulent runoff election.

Final preliminary results from Sunday’s vote show west leaning opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko beating Yanukovych by 2.3 million votes.

Yanukovych will now appeal to the Supreme Court, said his campaign manager, Taras Chornovyl.

“We will call on our supporters, which are 15 million, not to split the state, to observe the law and not to recognise Yushchenko as a legitimate president,” he added.