Pifer Prediction: Writing off Yushchenko's second term

By Online Editor -
Former US Ambassador Steven Pifer has written off Viktor Yushchenko's chances of re-election and has nominated three candidates as potential winners with Yulia Tymoshenko fighting it out with Yushchenko's substitute Arseniy Yatsenyuk in a second round ballot against Viktor Yanukovch.

The Pifer prediction comes as no surprise as the public opinion polls have been indicating the same with little change for the last three months.

This is another blow of confidence for incumbent Viktor Yushchenko who is languishing in the polls at around 2.6 to 3.5%. Pifer who has close associations with the Ukrainian Presidency is sending a clear message that Yushchenko can not win a second term in office. A message that has been echoed by all political analysts yet Yushchenko fails to concede and is set to face defeat in the first round of voting scheduled to take place on January 17, 2010.

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