Presidential rating of Yuschenko no more than 5.2%, according to poll

Kyiv, November 18 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko has virtually no chance of winning a further term in office, according to the poll conducted by the Sociology Institute of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine (NAS).

The results of the poll were presented at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency at a press conference on Tuesday.

According to the poll, Yuschenko would win no more than 5.2% of the vote if the presidential elections were held in October 2008.

"The current president of Ukraine [Viktor Yuschenko] has actually lost any chance not only of winning at the next presidential elections, but of even passing through to the second round," said Doctor of Sociology and Head of the Sociological-Political Process Department of the NAS of Ukraine Oleksandr Vyshniak.

At the same time, according to the poll results, Regions Party Leader Viktor Yanukovych would receive 28.3% of the vote, and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko 22.9%.

The poll was conducted in all regions of Ukraine, Crimea, Kyiv and Sevastopol (total in 96 towns and villages) from October 16-26, and was ordered by the Ukrainian Forum organization. A total of 1,796 of respondents were questioned. The poll's margin of error is 2.4%.