Ukrainian Court Gives Opposition Breathing Room
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KIEV, Ukraine – The Supreme Court of Ukraine gave the political opposition some breathing room yesterday, ruling that the results of a presidential election are not official until it hears an appeal from a Western-leaning candidate who says it was stolen from him.
But there were no indications that opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko’s call for a national strike was taking hold, and it was unclear whether the high court even has the right to annul the vote count that gave victory to the Kremlin-backed candidate, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.
The opposition increased the stakes further yesterday, calling for a nationwide series of roadblocks.
The election pitting Mr. Yushchenko against Mr. Yanukovich has led to an increasingly tense tug-of-war between the West and Moscow, which considers Ukraine part of its sphere of influence and a buffer between Russia and NATO’s eastern flank.
At a summit in The Hague, Netherlands, President Putin and European Union leaders staked out starkly opposing views of Ukraine’s election dispute but agreed the crisis must be resolved peacefully.
Although Mr. Yanukovich had widespread official backing, including that of outgoing President Kuchma, the Supreme Court is respected as an unbiased body. The court’s decision boosted Mr. Yushchenko’s supporters, who have flooded the streets of Kiev since the Sunday run-off.
“Yeah, we are definitely going to win,” said Valentyn Kulchytsky, 23, one of about 100,000 demonstrators standing in freezing weather.
Mr. Yushchenko praised the decision, but told the crowd, “This is only the beginning.”
Mr. Yanukovich said late yesterday “I don’t see any possibility for resolving this conflict by the path of ultimatums … we should sit at the negotiating table,” news agencies reported.
A day earlier, Mr. Yanukovich had said that negotiations with the opposition would begin yesterday, but Mr. Yushchenko’s camp has brushed off the idea.
The court decision also foretells a continuation of tension for at least several days. The appeal will be considered on Monday, court spokeswoman Liana Shlyaposhnikova said.
The protesters, swelling to as many as 200,000 at times, have braved freezing temperatures in Kiev’s Independence Square since Sunday’s run-off, saying the ballot was rigged to allow Mr. Yanukovich to win.
Apparently responding to the call for a nationwide road blockade, supporters of Mr. Yushchenko put up a barricade of logs and burning tires yesterday along a main western road leading from the city of Lviv to the Polish border.
The demonstrators were galvanized yesterday by a visit from Lech Walesa, the founder of the Polish Solidarity movement, who said he was “amazed” at their enthusiasm and predicted their protest would succeed.