Finita La Comedia: Ukrainian Elections Reached Its End

Yulia Tymoshenko, defeated presidential candidate, officially withdrew charges of election fraud.
Finita La Comedia: Ukrainian Elections Reached Its End
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko leaves the Supreme Administrative Court in Kyiv on Feb, 20, 2010, after dropping her legal challenge against her rival's presidential election victory. Tymoshenko said she had lost faith in the country's courts which refused her request to recount votes and question witnesses. (Aleks Ander Prokopenko/AFP/Getty Images)
2/21/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/UKRAINE96892082.jpg" alt="Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko leaves the Supreme Administrative Court in Kyiv on Feb, 20, 2010, after dropping her legal challenge against her rival's presidential election victory. Tymoshenko said she had lost faith in the country's courts which refused her request to recount votes and question witnesses. (Aleks Ander Prokopenko/AFP/Getty Images)" title="Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko leaves the Supreme Administrative Court in Kyiv on Feb, 20, 2010, after dropping her legal challenge against her rival's presidential election victory. Tymoshenko said she had lost faith in the country's courts which refused her request to recount votes and question witnesses. (Aleks Ander Prokopenko/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1822798"/></a>
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko leaves the Supreme Administrative Court in Kyiv on Feb, 20, 2010, after dropping her legal challenge against her rival's presidential election victory. Tymoshenko said she had lost faith in the country's courts which refused her request to recount votes and question witnesses. (Aleks Ander Prokopenko/AFP/Getty Images)
KYIV, Ukraine—Yulia Tymoshenko, defeated presidential candidate, officially withdrew charges of election fraud allegedly committed by opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych thus finally conceding the Feb. 7 election.

”I have recalled my claim and requested that the court stop the proceedings which does not indicate justice [of the system],” she told reporters at the Supreme Administrative Court of Ukraine (SACU) on Feb. 20.

Tymoshenko, the current prime minister, stated that there was no sense in continuing with the proceeding because the court rejected her request regarding recounting votes and questioning witnesses.

The SACU said that Tymoshenko had not convinced the court that there had been mass violations at the polling stations.

The SACU accepted Tymoshenko’s request to terminate the case. After the Feb. 7 vote, the Central Electoral Commission declared Yanukovych the winner, but that decision was suspended by the SACU pending Tymoshenko’s complaint.

Tymoshenko says she is still confident that the second round of elections—between only herself and arch-rival Yanukovych—were rigged.

International election observers concluded that while there were some irregularities, overall the Ukraine elections were fair and democratic. No world leaders commented when Tymoshenko challenged the election results.

As Tymoshenko withdrew her complaint at the court, about 3,000 supporters from both camps gathered near the courthouse. While they stood separated by their affiliation, they were united by one idea: Ukraine.

Current President Viktor Yushchenko, said in an interview with Inter TV that the Tymoshenko’s strategy is now aimed at wanting Yanukovych to allow her to remain in the post of prime minister.

However, Yanukovych’s team members say that they will not cooperate with Tymoshenko. Instead, they will now target their efforts on forming a new parliamentary coalition to select a new prime minister.

After the court closed the books on Tymoshenko’s fraud complaints, President Yushchenko officially declared his successor’s victory.

Political scientists predict that based on Tymoshenko support among the electorate, that she has a chance to remain in politics. What’s not clear, is whether the rivalry and mutual accusations between Yanukovych and Tymoshenko will continue into the future.