Opposition blockade halts Ukraine Cabinet meeting
Noisy, orange-clad opposition protesters blockaded Ukraine’s government headquarters in Kiev today and prevented Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych from convening a Cabinet session.
Winning presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko had ordered the blockade to keep up pressure on his rival, who has refused to admit defeat.
Yanukovych said he would not bow to opposition pressure and resign from his post which he returned after taking time off to campaign for the presidency.
“It is a matter of my principle not to submit a resignation,” Yanukovych said. “I know why they insist on that, because now they are shivering with fear. We will yet say our word.”
Yanukovych’s campaign submitted a 27 volume appeal to the Central Election Commission, asking that Sunday’s court-ordered revote be declared invalid, said Nestor Shufrych, a Yanukovych aide.
If election officials reject the appeal, Yanukovych can go to Ukraine’s Supreme Court.
Yanukovych’s camp already submitted four appeals to Ukraine’s Supreme Court - but those appeals concern only a decision made by a regional election committee and not the election in its entirety, Shufrych said.
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