Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, who had been declared winner
of a disputed presidential election, said on Thursday that the Supreme Court has
no right to annul the poll results.
"I don't see any justification for that. The election took place. The Central
Election Commission recognized it and issued a final result. No one, even the
Supreme Court, has the right to annul it," Sergei Tigipko, the prime minister's
spokesman, said in a statement.
"Any proposal for a recount of the votes or revote is illogical," he added.
The spokesman reaffirmed Yanukovich's call for talks with the opposition
leader, Viktor Yushchenko, over the election row.
The comments came after Ukraine's Supreme Court barred the publication of the
official election results until it has examined an appeal lodged by the
opposition against them.
"Until we have finished examining the appeal, the results of the election
cannot be published. Until we have reached a decision,the election results
cannot be valid," the court said.
The Yushchenko-led opposition on Thursday appealed to the Supreme Court over
the results announced earlier by the Central Election Commission, which declared
Yanukovich the winner with 49.46 percent against Yushchenko's 46.61 percent.
But the pro-West Yushchenko refused to recognize the result and called for a
nationwide general strike. Both the United States and the European Union (EU)
have dismissed the poll as fraudulent.
