Court paves way for Yushchenko presidency

Mr Viktor Yushchenko will be sworn in as the country's new president on Sunday to ending weeks of political turmoil in the ex…

Mr Viktor Yushchenko will be sworn in as the country's new president on Sunday to ending weeks of political turmoil in the ex-Soviet state.

A total of 309 deputies in the 450-seat parliament today passed a decision to hold the event on January 23rd. Mr Yushchenko won last month's presidential election re-run in Ukraine.

It follows a Supreme Court ruling earlier today that upheld Mr Yushchenko's win in the December 26th vote, rejecting appeals from rival and former prime minister Viktor Yanukovich.

Shortly before the decision was announced, government newspapers printed the results of December's re-run vote, which was held after a November run-off between the two men was annulled by the Supreme Court amid allegations of massive fraud.

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The printing of the results opened the way for parliament to set a date.

Mr Yushchenko says he wants to move Ukraine closer to Europe while maintaining traditional links with Russia.