KIEV, 29 November 2004 — Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma yesterday called compromise the only way out of Ukraine’s deepening crisis over the disputed presidential election, as governors in eastern Ukraine met to discuss autonomy.
Both sides await a crucial Supreme Court session today to consider an appeal by opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko against the official results of the Nov. 21 presidential runoff, which declared Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich the winner.
The court’s ruling could pave the way for a new vote, which the opposition is demanding, or remove the only barrier to the inauguration of Yanukovich, who has the backing of Kuchma and the Kremlin.
Yushchenko, who claims his victory was stolen, rejected government appeals to call off tens of thousands of protesters and urged his throngs of supporters yesterday to maintain their weeklong round-the-clock vigil. Protesters packed Kiev’s main street and central Independence Square and blocked off entrances to the Cabinet and presidential administration buildings for a fourth day.
Meanwhile, in the eastern city of Severodonetsk, Yanukovich attended an urgent meeting of some 3,500 delegates from eastern and southern Ukraine to discuss whether to pursue autonomy for much of Ukraine’s industrial east in the event of a Yushchenko presidency. Yanukovich promised to honor all decisions made at the meeting, the Interfax news agency reported.
