OPPOSITION leader Viktor Yanukovich emerged as the apparent winner in Ukraine's presidential contest yesterday, holding on to a lead of almost 3 percentage points with about 99 per cent of ballots counted.
• Yulia Tymoshenko: Will fight to keep her post as prime minister. Picture: Getty
Prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who has accused her opponent of election fraud, was under increasing pressure to concede after international vote monitors called the ballot "professional, transparent and honest".
A Yanukovich victory would close a chapter in the country's political history by ousting the pro-western leadership of the past five years, which foundered due to internal divisions, fierce opposition from Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine and the collapse of the economy.
As president, Mr Yanukovich would try to balance relations with Moscow against Europe, tilting to Moscow where his Orange Revolution predecessors tilted West. But his narrow mandate, Ukraine's divided society and moribund economy will limit his ability to implement desperately needed reforms. Some Ukrainians fear Mr Yanukovich could bring a retreat from western democratic reforms and muzzle the media and opposition parties.
Central election commission data showed Mr Yanukovich with 48.7 per cent to Ms Tymoshenko's 45.7 per cent, with 1 per cent of ballots still to be counted. More than 4 per cent of voters cast ballots marked "against all," a signal of widespread disaffection.
Mr Yanukovich claimed victory and his team kicked off festivities by calling on the prime minister to admit defeat.
"She should remember her own democratic slogans and recognise the results of the elections," said Anna German, deputy chairwoman of Mr Yanukovich's Party of Regions.
About 5,000 Yanukovich supporters assembled yesterday morning near a stage in Kiev adorned with the slogan "Ukrainians for a Fair Election", claiming to defend the results of the ballot. Supporters danced in front of the central election commission as a series of day-long concerts got under way, despite frigid temperatures and flurries of snow.
Hundreds waved Mr Yanukovich's blue campaign pennants and some draped flags over their shoulders, readily admitting they were there to forestall attempts by the Tymoshenko camp to organise large-scale protests.
There was no word from Ms Tymoshenko, and her evening press conference was postponed until today at the last minute.
But analysts said it was too early to write her off, pointing to her political resilience and cunning.
"Yanukovich has won, but he is not victorious," said Vadim Karasyov, director of the Global Strategies Institute in Kiev.
"The narrow gap between them will tie Yanukovich's hands… She will fight to keep the post of prime minister," he said.
But Mr Yanukovich's deputies insisted Ms Tymoshenko would be forced out of government.
Ms Tymoshenko and outgoing president Viktor Yushchenko fell out after leading the Orange Revolution protests in 2004, and the bad blood between them has caused political gridlock in recent years and deepened Ukraine's economic malaise. Most voters are now keen to see a united leadership take power.
