Thousands of Ukrainians rallied Sunday in the eastern city of Donetsk,
rejecting the results of the Dec. 26 presidential revote and demanding
opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko give up presidency.
A resolution adopted at the rally said there are no violations in the Nov. 21
presidential runoff and thus former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych is the
legitimate winner, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
The resolution demanded Yushchenko give up presidency and the Central
Election Commission declare Yanukovych the legitimate president. It also called
for a dissolution of the parliament and the resignation of President Leonid
Kuchma.
Yanukovych won a disputed presidential runoff on Nov. 21, 2004,triggering
weeks of protests by rival Yushchenko's supporters. The Supreme Court later
annulled the election results and ruled for a re-vote of the runoff on Dec. 26.
According to the preliminary results of the Dec. 26 presidential revote
released by the Central Electoral Commission, Yushchenko won the revote by a
margin of 8 percentage points over Yanukovych.
However, Yanukovych has refused to concede defeat, and his numerous appeals
before election officials and the Supreme Court all have so far been
rejected.