BUSH DECLARED WINNER. GORE DISAGREES, FILES LAWSUIT

Catrine Harris, Florida’s state secretary, has declared Republican George W. Bush winner in the state. According to official data, Mr. Bush has a 537-vote lead against Democrat Albert Gore with 2,912,790 ballots cast for Mr. Bush, and 2,921,253, for Mr. Gore. Mr. Gore’s lawyers said earlier they did not acknowledge the results of the Florida election and would lodge an appeal with the US Supreme Court, Interfax reports. After announcing of the official results of the Florida vote, Joe Liberman, a vice-presidential hopeful of the Democrats, issued a statement calling the Florida election results “incomplete and inaccurate.” He also said the Gore team had no other option but to resort to a legal action. If the Democrats fail to contest the election results in court, George W. Bush will get 25 electoral college votes in the state of Florida and becomes the 43d president of the USA. Mr. Gore is expected at 12h on Monday to address the nation over the issue.