Yushchenko closer to taking office

Liberal Viktor Yushchenko moved a step closer to taking office as Ukraine's president yesterday after the Supreme Court said it would lift a ban on publishing election results proclaiming him the winner.

Mr Yushchenko's team said they were aiming for the West-leaning former prime minister and central banker to take the oath of office on Saturday.

The Supreme Court, examining an appeal filed by election loser Viktor Yanukovich, ruled the results of the December 26 ballot could be published from tomorrow - a first step towards Mr Yushchenko's inauguration. Mr Yushchenko defeated his rival by 8 percentage points in the re-run of a rigged November ballot.

"It is theoretically possible that the inauguration will take place before the process of considering this appeal is completed," said Mykola Poludenny, one of Mr Yushchenko's team.

Publication of the election result in official newspapers was barred by the court while it considered Yanukovich's appeal.

"The court has decided... to set a limit of January 19, 2005, to the preventive measure," court chairman Anatoly Yarema said, meaning the ban expires today and the first day for publication would be tomorrow.

Allies of former Prime Minister Yanukovich, who cast doubt on the court's objectivity, described the ruling as unprecedented.

"This is an unprecedented step which shows that the other side does not need a fair legal process," said Nestor Shufrich, one of Mr Yanukovich's representatives, at the hearing.

Mr Yanukovich, initially backed by Moscow in the election race, acknowledges he has little chance of overturning the result and describes himself as a victim of selective justice.

The Court's civil chamber, with about 20 judges sitting, has spent most of the past two days considering procedural matters. Little progress has been made in examining Mr Yanukovich's nine-point submission and amendments demanding last month's vote be annulled and a new election held.

Mr Yushchenko and his allies accuse the former authorities of deliberately delaying procedures, either to steal state property or conceal past wrongdoing.

The Supreme Court cited mass fraud last month in overturning the November poll, won by Mr Yanukovich, and ordered the re-run. The new poll was praised by Western monitors as a vastly improved contest with fewer irregularities.