The key concerns being: direct violation of the law on local elections code of the Venice Commission, the exclusion of independent candidates, the clandestine manner in which election commissions were formed, instances of harassment by the security services upon community’sand party activists, instances of breach of discretion by members of commissions, the unexplained exclusion of a number of opposition parties in the regions, harassment of opposition leaders and the partial collapse of freedom of speech.
The local elections can expect only token oversight by international observers. The Central Election Commission has registered only 490 official international observers whose monitoring capabilities will be stretched somewhat thinly across the country‘s 12,000 constituencies. The OSCE delegation consists of only four people.
People First Comment: Since independence Ukraine has held five presidential elections, seven parliamentary elections and numerous local authority elections, all of which have been overseen by the international community. Without international oversight, the whole election can be drawn into question.
Violations during preparations
During the pre-election period, various political forces published allegations of violations. Representatives of opposition parties alleged to have been subjected to government pressure, which included de-registration in majority constituencies, manipulation of territorial election commissions and direct pressure on the party representatives by the various power structures. In Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk, for example, the number of voting ballots printed way exceeded the number required by law. The authorities in Kharkiv destroyed 43,000 additional voting ballot papers while in Ivano-Frankivsk some 200,000 additional ballot papers where “accidentally”
printed according to militia sources, the prosecutor’s office denied that any such wrongdoing should be considered a criminal matter. According to a statement by the Committee of Voters of Ukraine, pro-government forces have, in many regions, seized managerial control of the territorial election commissions and the closer to the election date we come, the more blatant the signs of tampered competition: sponsored materials published in the media, the use of smearing and defamatory materials by electoral subjects as well as the occasional but apparent use of criminality – attacks on the offices of political parties and the threatening of key activists, to name but a few. Concerned experts also point to the arrest of a number of mayors that have failed to demonstrate loyalty to the government and where their criminal cases, particularly in Kamenetz-
Podilsk, Nemyriv, Novomoskovsk, Alupka, Rzhishchev appear to have been conjured up in order tip power towards the authorities’ candidates. President Viktor Yanukovych has highlighted the absolute unacceptability of any restrictions on citizens’ freedom of expression and the strict liability of law officials who allow the violation of any constitutional rights or freedoms of the people. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov stated that every case of violation of constitutional rights during the electoral process will see direct repercussions from the authorities.
People First Comment: It is in the interests of the opposition to cry foul at every opportunity. But looking at the litany of reported violations they may have a point. As an example; for the local Militia in Ivano- Frankivsk to say that the printing of 200,000 additional ballot papers was an accident is difficult to believe as it would have involved days of printing time and tons of paper. Furthermore, there is little evidence that these have been destroyed.
Expectations of voters
On the eve of the election, Ukrainian and international research companies have surveyed the expectations of voters. In particular, according to research conducted by International Foundation for Electoral Systems and the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, 83 percent of Ukrainians are not satisfied with the economic situation of their country – more than 91 percent do not favor raising the gas tariff by 50 percent this year. The population’s main concern is inflation – 75 percent. Also, 56 percent are deeply concerned about the rising unemployment, 51 percent are concerned about poverty, and 37 percent about the level of corruption. Some 36 percent of respondents were concerned about recent curtailment of their rights and freedoms and yet only 16 percent felt their rights had been disrespected.
However, according to the Razumkov Center 58.3 percent of the citizens of Ukraine believe that the results of the local election on the Oct. 31 have the potential to be rigged. In the case of election fraud, 14 percent of respondents expressed a willingness to participate in peaceful protests. The proposed extension of the current term of the Verkhovna Rada until 2015 received support from only 25.2 percent of respondents, while 55.3 percent remain strongly against and 48.2 percent of the Ukrainians surveyed believe that Ukraine’s development is heading in the wrong direction.
People First Comment: It is little wonder that 83 percent of the nation is five times more concerned about the economy and inflation than they are about civil rights when over 12 million Ukrainians are now living on less than $3 per day and Ukraine has the second lowest level of retained wealth in Europe. Ukraine is now second only to Moldova in terms of poverty therefore it is to be expected that there would be concern at a 50 percent increase in domestic gas prices just before the onset of winter. The current government cannot be blamed for the sins of their predecessors but they can be blamed for not showing compassion. Rather than concentrating on how to use the powers they have to elevate poverty, hardship and suffering, they waste precious time trying to acquire more. One has to ask why, when they already have a perfectly workable majority in parliament.
The election and its results
The 2010 local authority elections have shown a small decline in the overall popularity of the Party of Regions to below that of a simple majority and the almost total lack of a united opposition. The biggest opposition party, Batkivshchyna, only attracted 13% of the national vote
while the radical Svoboda Party greatly increased its share and their chances for entering parliament at the next parliamentary election. According to exit polls carried out by the international research company GFK; Party of Regions is estimated to have secured
36.2 percent of the vote, Batkivshchyna 13.1%, Front for Changes 6.8%, Communist Party of Ukraine 5.9 percent, Svoboda 5.1 percent, Our Ukraine 2.3 percent, People’s Party 1.8 percent, Socialist Party of Ukraine 1.7 percent, United Centre 1.6 percent. The margin of error was 2.5 percent.
Viktor Tkachuk is chief executive officer of the People First Foundation, which seeks to strengthen Ukrainian democracy. The organization’s website is: www.peoplefirst.org.ua and the e-mail address is: [email protected]
