In a ruling, the Supreme Court rejected official publication ofthe Nov. 21 election results in two government newspapers, after which Yanukovich would automatically receive right to an inauguration under the country's law.

The Central Elections Commission declared Ukrainian Prime Minister Yanukovich the winner of the presidential election late Wednesday, but opposition candidate Victor Yushchenko and his supporters refused to accept the announced result.

The Supreme Court also said that next Monday it would examine Yushchenko's complaint that the prime minister's election had been rigged.

After the court decided not to publish the election results, Yushchenko welcomed the ruling as a victory.

"This is only the beginning. It is a proof that it is a society that always wins. It is small compensation for the suffering that we have endured," he said at Kiev's Independence Square.

Meanwhile, Yanukovich, in a televised address, again called fortalks with his rival, saying that the presidential elections was fair and Western countries had no right to interfere into Ukraine's elections.

"I believe that resolving issues in the street, appeals to resolve matters through pressure or revolution are a deviation from the very democratic norms advocated by countries making declarations at the moment," he said on state television.

Under the court ruling, outgoing President Leonid Kuchma would stay on in power for now.