PRESS RELEASE

Presidential Elections in Ukraine

Presidential elections conducted in a democratic and transparent way are key elements for the normalization of the situation in Ukraine. Support of our international partners is crucial.

Russia undertakes all actions to disrupt elections and thus continue escalation of tensions in the East and South of Ukraine.

In spite of an unprecedented number of security challenges to our country, all necessary organizational and legal grounds for holding elections are in place. Electoral legislation provides sufficient mechanisms to produce credible results of the elections according to the highest international standards. Citizens of Ukraine who live in the occupied Crimea have an opportunity to vote in other parts of Ukraine.

General political aspects

Early presidential elections will take place on legislatively set date – 25 May 2014.  21 candidates for the post of the President of Ukraine are registered to take part in the elections. Candidates represent all regions of Ukraine and wide political spectrum. 114 polling stations were established in the foreign electoral district.

Ukraine is interested in holding elections in free, transparent and democratic manner, in full compliance with international standards with the maximum presence of international observers. High number of international observers is expected to be present at the elections. As of 16 May 2014 Central Electoral Commission registered 1375 international observers: 1319 representing international organizations, 56 – countries. In particular, observers from Canada, Lithuania, USA, France, Japan, Turkey, OSCE ODIHR, Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Ukrainian World Congress and Ukrainian Congress Committee of America have already been registered. Respective observation missions will be also sent by the European Parliament, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, NATO and GUAM etc. Long-term OSCE ODIHR electoral observation mission on monitoring early presidential elections in Ukraine started its work on 19 March. It is expected that over 900 short-term observers will be present at the polling stations.

Successful elections on May 25 will contribute crucially into stabilization of Ukraine, providing opportunities for further reforms. Any calls to disrupt or to postpone the elections should be seen as attempts to prevent stabilization of Ukraine.    

Elections in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and in the East of Ukraine

Presidential campaign 2014 is conducted in times of social and political tensions, extraneous security challenges which Ukraine faces for the first time in its modern history. Preparations for the elections are conducted in accordance with calendar plans set by the Central Electoral Commission. Current national legislation on the elections of the President of Ukraine envisions that the results of the elections will be set even in case voting would be hampered at some electoral polls/electoral precincts.

All necessary measures to hold presidential elections at the territory of Ukraine are taken except for the occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Process of establishing electoral commissions is finished. With the view to temporary occupation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia, there are no district electoral commissions established there. In accordance with current legislation of Ukraine elections at the temporarily occupied territory are neither organized nor held. At the same time, citizens of Ukraine who live in the occupied peninsula, have opportunities to vote at the Presidential elections in the neighboring regions or at any polling station on the territory of Ukraine.

With the view to disruptive activities of armed terrorist groups in some districts of the Eastern regions, all necessary preventive steps are undertaken aimed at securing electoral process, protecting members of the electoral commissions and electoral documentation and ensuring credible and safe conduct of elections on the whole territory of Ukraine.

Taking into account the complex security situation in Donetsk and Lugansk regions, on May 15 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted amendments to the Law of Ukraine on the Elections of the President of Ukraine, which envisage: strengthening, if necessary, the protection of ballots and other election documents during their transportation from the precinct and district electoral commissions to the electoral commissions of higher level; increasing amount of time specified by law for the transfer of the preliminary voter lists by the State Voter Register to the precinct electoral commissions; strengthening protection of electoral commissions in their locations; possibility for regional administrations to change a location of respective electoral commissions if necessary.

International Aspects

The Ukrainian side highly appreciates overwhelming standpoint of the international community, including the vast majority of the UN Security Council members, on specific importance of free and democratic presidential elections in Ukraine on 25 May 2014 for de-escalation of current situation in our country.

The only State whose official representatives had repeatedly enounced their non-recognition of the elections on 25 May 2014, or aforehand questioned legitimacy of their outcomes, is the Russian Federation interested in further escalation of the situation around Ukraine. The Russian Federation takes all measures to destabilize situation in our country and disrupt elections of the President of Ukraine. The decision of Russia to conduct military exercises next to our borders right on the date of the voting should also be seen in this context.

Ukraine calls on all States to support democratic and free presidential elections in our country and to strongly condemn Russia’s activities aimed at disrupting elections of the President of Ukraine.