By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Ukrainians will feel shame for the results of the presidential elections, with opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych and Prime Minster Yulia Tymoshenko facing each other in the runoff, President Viktor Yushchenko said on Sunday.
Yanukovych gained 35.32% of the votes in the first round on January 17, while Tymoshenko came second with 25.05%. Both presidential contenders have continuously exchanged accusations of fraud and preparations for provocative acts before the crucial runoff.
“Ukrainians will be ashamed for their choice but this is democracy,” Yushchenko said.
Outgoing Yushchenko, swept to power by the 2004 pro-Western street protests, gained slightly more than 5% of the vote in the first round of presidential polls. His presidency has been marred by continuous political infighting and economic problems.
“Ukraine must learn to hold honest and legal elections. That is why, task No. 1 today is to show that we can transfer power democratically,” Yushchenko said.
According to Ukrainian analysts, Yanukovych has an advantage as an opposition candidate with a fair economic record during his premiership while Tymoshenko has to take responsibility for a current dire state of the Ukrainian economy.