KIEV, Jan. 26 – Serhiy Tyhypko, whose voters could decide the outcome of the presidential vote next month, on Tuesday again refused to endorse either Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko or opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych.

But he said he could lead the government for either one.

Tymoshenko and Yanukovych are both wooing Tyhypko, who came in a strong third with 13% of the vote in the first round on Jan. 17. Yanukovych was ahead of Tymoshenko by a 10 percentage point lead.

“If anyone - President Tymoshenko or Yanukovych – can assemble a parliamentary majority and offer me the post of prime minister, I will not reject this, of course,” Tyhypko told reporters.

“I absolutely know what needs to be done,” Tyhypko said. “The country needs changes.”

The comments come as Tymoshenko has pressed Tyhypko to accept the prime minister’s job before the runoff vote, a move that would advise his voters to back Tymoshenko vs. Yanukovych.

"I am hoping he will give a clear answer so that people can decide on voting day in the second round of the elections," Tymoshenko told journalists.

She is expected to pick up many floating votes from other eliminated candidates, particularly in the Ukrainian-speaking west and centre. But she wants to win the support of voters in the Russian-speaking industrial east who backed Tyhypko.

The post of the prime minister may be a tough job for Tyhypko as the Ukrainian economy has contracted 15% on the year in 2009, and the government faces shortage of cash to finance budget spending.

The International Monetary Fund postponed its $16.4 billion two-year loan until after the presidential vote. The IMF disbursed $10.6 billion to Ukraine in 2009, essentially bailing out the government of Tymoshenko.

Tyhypko said the government would have to start sweeping economic reforms, adding that he would be able to do that.

“I understand well how important is the post of the prime minister in conducting those changes that the country needs,” Tyhypko said. “Unpopular reforms need to be conducted and the people must be explained that [the reforms] will bring positive changes eventually.” (tl/ez)