Ukrainian Presidential Election: Sworn Enemies To Fight Again

Viktor Yanukovich received 36.23 percent of votes, and Yulia Tymoshenko – 24.41 percent as a result of the presidential vote in Ukraine on January 17. As it was expected, the two rivals will face each other again during the second stage of the vote in February.

Photo: Ukrainian Presidential Election: Sworn Enemies To Fight Again

Ukrainian Presidential Election: Sworn Enemies To Fight Again

Sergey Tigipko received 13.14 percent of votes, Arseny Yatsenyuk (former speaker of the parliament) – 6.84 percent, Viktor Yushchenko – 4.9 percent, Pyotr Simonenko (communist leader) – 3.62 percent, Vladimir Litvin (speaker of the parliament) – 2.38 percent, Oleg Tyagnibok (Svoboda Party leader) – 1.31 percent, Anatoly Gritsenko (chairman of national security and defense committee of the parliament) – 1.17 percent and Inna Bogoslovskaya (deputy) – 0.43 percent.

Therefore, the presidential election in Ukraine had quite a predictable ending. None of the candidates managed to win over 50 percent of votes required for the victory during the first stage of the vote. The runoff election (for Yanukovich and Tymoshenko) will take place on February 7, RIA Novosti reports.

Both Yanukovich and Tymoshenko stated that they were happy about the results of the vote and added that they were certain of their victory in February. Nevertheless, it was reported that Tymoshenko’s election headquarters were trying to conceal disappointment, Itar-Tass reports.

“The Ukrainians vote for changes,” Yanukovich stated during his briefing and said that he was prepared to make all the needed changes come true.

Yulia Tymoshenko said that her result in the election showed that her rival, Mr. Yanukovich, would have no chances in winning the runoff vote. She urged all other democrat candidates join her headquarters. She even promised to forget the previous scandals and start everything anew.

Outgoing Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchnko, the “lame duck”, justified everyone’s hopes and won about six percent of votes. The support that he received corresponded to the rating that Yushchenko recently had in the country. He had no chances to be re-elected, although he can stay in big politics if he joins Viktor Yanukovich’s team.

Yulia Tymoshenko’s news conference took place at Hayatt Hotel an hour after the poll stations were closed and the results of exit polls were published. Tymoshenko looked stunning in her white dress. She had immaculate make up on, but it was obvious that the prime minister was upset, at least a little. It seemed that she was expecting a much more comfortable second place, which would give her more determination for the second stage of the vote.

She delivered a 30-minute speech and left, but many observers said that her speech lacked inspiration and self-confidence.

Viktor Yanukovich gave a news conference in Kiev’s another luxury hotel, Intercontinental, where rooms start with 410 EUR per night and reach 17,400 EUR for the presidential suite. Journalists and politicians greeted Yanukovich with a storm of applause. When he was walking down the stairs of the luxury hotel, it seemed that the people were applauding to Ukraine’s new president.

Yanukovich delivered a formal speech in which he did not name any of his possible allies for the runoff election. The party in the hotel continued throughout the night, even after the lights at Tymoshenko’s headquarters went out.

Mr. Yanukovich is certain that there will be no other orange revolution in the country, Interfax reports.

“I think that the orange team wanted to make promises from one election to another and though that people would forget. But the people didn’t,” Yanukovich said.

Yanukovich said that his party would discuss the question of Yulia Tymoshenko’s resignation afterwards, if he is the president.

“There is very little time for her to stay at power. When the parliament gathers, we will speak when we can make it (the PM’s resignation) happen.

Yanukovich also said that he had seen Tymoshenko’s news conference.

“I could see that she was desperate. It’s not a surprise for me. I realize that she hoped to win many voters over to her side. To accomplish that, she was supposed to acknowledge the mistakes that she made with the orange team during the recent five years,” he said.