ODESSA, May 27. /ITAR-TASS/. New Odessa Mayor Gennady Trukhanov has taken oath in the building of the Odessa Council on Tuesday under heavy police guard. Police cordoned off the building to prevent supporters of a rivaling candidate, Eduard Gurvitz, from provoking disturbances near the building of the Odessa Council. On Monday Eduard Gurvitz' supporters blocked the building of a territorial election commission, paralyzed traffic in nearby streets, accused some "pro-Russian'' forces of falsification of the results and demanded that Gurvits be proclaimed winner in the mayoral election.

Governor of the Odessa region Igor Palitsya has urged the Odessa population not to build up tension "merely because someone disliked the results or had to account for money spent on Eduard Gurvits' election campaign", the governor said. "Wise and mature politicians never use people as cannon fodder to resolve their tasks," the Odessa governor said.

Gennady Trukhanvov beat his rival, Eduard Gurvits, who was backed by President-elect Petro Poroshenko, by a majority vote — 43.39% against 32,02%.