INTERNATIONAL observers, including officials from the US, hailed Sunday's presidential run-off in Ukraine as fair and "truly competitive". "For everyone in Ukraine this election was a victory," said Jo�o Soares, president of the OSCE's parliamentary assembly. With 98.8 per cent of the votes counted, the Russian-leaning opposition leader, Viktor Yanukovich, had a three per cent lead over Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who nonetheless immediately contested the results and demanded a recount. The monitors hinted that Tymoshenko should admit defeat, noting that in any election there are "winners and losers. It is now time for the country's political leaders to listen to the people's verdict and make sure the transition of power is peaceful and constructive," Soares said. "Some say the Orange revolution has failed. I say no. Thanks to the Orange revolution democratic elections in Ukraine are now a reality," said Matyas Eörsi, head of the delegation of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly. Ironically, the win by the pro-Russian Yanukovich, who will try to mend fences with Russia and will probably piece together a coalition including the Communists, enhances Ukraine's chances of joining the EU. It is predicted that Yanukovich could make his first foreign stop Brussels. Two possible candidates for the prime minister's job are Borys Kolesnikov, Yanukovich's close ally, and Yuriy Yekhanurov, a former prime minister from Yushchenko's bloc. The new government will have its work cut out. The IMF has refused to lend the country any more money until Kiev carries out reforms. Since 2008 the national currency, the hryvnia, has fallen by half. A breakdown of the results showed that Ukraine remains divided, with the Russian-speaking east and south backing Yanukovich, and the Ukrainian-speaking west and centre, including Kiev, voting for Tymoshenko. More than a million voters voted against both candidates.
