Ukraine's parliament Tuesday called for a new election in five disputed districts as hundreds continue to rally in the capital Kyiv against alleged vote-rigging in favor of the ruling party.
Lawmakers passed the non-binding resolution Tuesday at the recommendation of election authorities.
Ukraine's Central Election Commission said Monday that five single-seat constituencies failed to comply with election laws.
Opposition parties reject a new vote in the five constituencies and insist on recounting of votes in 13 districts, where they claim the results were skewed in favor of the ruling Party of Regions.
The current parliament on Tuesday also set up a temporary commission to investigate the reasons for the slow vote count after the October 28 parliamentary elections.
Western observers described Ukraine's parliamentary election as unfair, because President Viktor Yanukovych's main rival, Yulia Tymoshenko, is imprisoned and was unable to run. Observers also criticized a lack of transparency in the vote count.
Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk told supporters outside the Central Election Commission building in central Kyiv that the opposition was cheated of victory in 13 constituencies and will demand re-tallying of the ballots.
"We demand from the Central Election Commission to count the votes and recognize our candidates as winners. They will not take victory away from us,'' Yatsenyuk said.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov denounced the opposition for what he called an attempt to "destabilize" the situation.
The final election results have not yet been announced, but Yanukovych's Party of Regions and its allies are expected to win a clear majority of the seats in parliament.
Three opposition parties made a strong showing in the proportional voting that chooses half of parliament's 450 seats.
Lawmakers passed the non-binding resolution Tuesday at the recommendation of election authorities.
Ukraine's Central Election Commission said Monday that five single-seat constituencies failed to comply with election laws.
Opposition parties reject a new vote in the five constituencies and insist on recounting of votes in 13 districts, where they claim the results were skewed in favor of the ruling Party of Regions.
The current parliament on Tuesday also set up a temporary commission to investigate the reasons for the slow vote count after the October 28 parliamentary elections.
Western observers described Ukraine's parliamentary election as unfair, because President Viktor Yanukovych's main rival, Yulia Tymoshenko, is imprisoned and was unable to run. Observers also criticized a lack of transparency in the vote count.
Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk told supporters outside the Central Election Commission building in central Kyiv that the opposition was cheated of victory in 13 constituencies and will demand re-tallying of the ballots.
"We demand from the Central Election Commission to count the votes and recognize our candidates as winners. They will not take victory away from us,'' Yatsenyuk said.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov denounced the opposition for what he called an attempt to "destabilize" the situation.
The final election results have not yet been announced, but Yanukovych's Party of Regions and its allies are expected to win a clear majority of the seats in parliament.
Three opposition parties made a strong showing in the proportional voting that chooses half of parliament's 450 seats.
