KIEV, Ukraine, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Members of Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych's administration have begun to leave the country fearing a backlash and investigations.
Yanukovych resigned as prime minister, but he has not conceded the presidential race against Viktor Yushchenko.
Yushchenko's supporters have called for a stop in the number of diplomatic passports being issued, fearing they would be used by henchmen of the country's former administration to escape prosecution for corruption and election-rigging, the Scotsman.com reported Sunday.
About 200 civil servants and political figures are believed to have applied for diplomatic passports hoping to leave the country with their money before they become the subjects of investigations.
Yushchenko is expected to be officially declared winner of the election in the second week of January, despite an investigation by the Central Election Commission into alleged irregularities.
Results of an earlier presidential election run-off between Yanukovych and Yushchenko were overturned because of widespread vote-rigging.
