Ukraine's Tymoshenko bloc to contest election result

Yulia Tymoshenko's bloc has said it will contest in court the conduct of the Ukrainian presidential election she appears to have narrowly lost.

Deputy leader Elena Shustik said the bloc would contest results at some polling stations and ask for a recount, Russia's Interfax news agency reports.

Another bloc official accused Viktor Yanukovych's party of "falsification", Reuters news agency says.

However, foreign monitors have praised the conduct of the election.

With more than 99% of votes counted after Sunday's poll, Mr Yanukovych was estimated to be ahead on some 48.83% of the vote, while Mrs Tymoshenko had around 45.59%.

'Cynical violation'

Ms Shustik was quoted as saying that the bloc would "challenge the results at certain polling-stations and seek a recount".

The bloc had not yet decided, she added, whether it would pursue a third round of voting.

In Ukraine's parliament, bloc member Serhiy Sobolev told MPs: "Voting day displayed a cynical violation of Ukrainian law by the teams of Yanukovych, pressure on the electors and a broad arsenal of falsification by the Regions Party of Viktor Yanukovych.

"Consequently, the Tymoshenko bloc announces that we will defend in the courts our right, and the rights of our citizens, to honest and transparent elections."

However, there was no mention of calling street protests, Reuters notes.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8505552.stm