Saakashvili Congratulates Yushchenko on his Victory

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili congratulated Victor Yushchenko late on December 26 on his victory in the Ukrainian presidential elections, shortly after early official results were announced.

According to the Central Election Commission, with more than 90% of ballot counted Yushchenko leads with 54% of the votes, while his opponent Viktor Yanukovich has garnered just 42%.

President Saakashvili spoke Ukrainian during the televised event. Saakashvili lived a while in the Ukrainian capital while completing coursework in the Faculty of International Law at the Kiev State University in 1992.

?Until now I refrained from expressing my position, however, we have always expressed our support for the Ukrainian people,? Saakashvili said in a live broadcast on Ukrainian television on December 26.

Saakashvili made it clear to whom he supported in early December, when he welcomed the Ukrainian Supreme Court?s ruling to hold a revote of the second round of presidential polls. 

?I tried not to demonstrate my sympathies, but maybe someone has noticed the color of my tie,? Saakashvili said on December 3, referring to his tie dominated by the orange color, which is the symbol of the Ukrainian opposition.