16:40 10.10.2012

Regions Party MP Kozhara: Ukraine has a system that helps detect violations of electoral law

2 min read
Regions Party MP Kozhara: Ukraine has a system that helps detect violations of electoral law

The Regions Party has created a system that helps detect and locate any violations of the electoral law, Regions Party Deputy Head for International Policy Leonid Kozhara has said.

"Although dozens of violations have already been reported, none of them is a serious violation of the electoral law. We also prepared a special report on these violations, which we are distributing to all observers," the party's press service quoted him as saying at a meeting with members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Wednesday.

Kozhara said that Ukraine expects about 5,000 international election observers.

"Such a large number of observers reflects the state of democracy in our country. For example, there were about 700 observers at the recent elections in Russia, although Russia is much bigger than Ukraine," he said.

"In Ukraine, elections are held every one-and-a-half years. This is stipulated by the fact that a permanent political election campaign prevents politicians from conducting the necessary reforms, and some of them are only making populist slogans. But on the other hand, Ukraine is acquiring more democratic traditions at elections," he said.

The politician also drew the attention of OSCE mission members to the fact that the Regions Party was in the lead according to all surveys, with its ratings ranging between 23% and 29%.

"But now it's not clear who is in second place, as famous boxer [Vitali] Klitschko's party has been rapidly gaining popularity over the last few weeks," he added.

"Our position is very clear and firm. We are the party for which the distortion of election results is most disadvantageous. The Ukrainian president has already made several statements on this subject. And the prime minister has repeatedly spoken about this. We are calling for transparent and fair elections that will be held in line with the principles of freedom and democracy," he said.

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