Viktor Yushchenko

The move meant that the election saga, sparked six weeks ago by a discredited presidential poll, would likely simmer for several more weeks amid legal wrangling.

In a dramatic New Year's Eve televised address, Yanukovych resigned as prime minister but refused to concede a Dec. 26 rerun vote that he lost by more than 2.2 million votes.

"I have made a decision and am formally submitting my resignation," Yanukovych said. "I find it impossible to occupy any post in a government headed by these authorities."

The vote was set after a Nov. 21 runoff, which election officials said was won by Yanukovych by some 1 million votes, was thrown out by the Supreme Court because of massive fraud.

On Dec. 30, the court rejected four complaints from Yanukovych over what he charged were "violations" that occurred during the Dec. 26 repeat election.

The next day, the central election commission turned down his appeal over the vote results, which Yanukovych charged were marred by fraud. Yanukovych's team has vowed to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

The Japan Times Weekly: Jan. 8, 2005
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