S&D observer mission: Ukrainians made a clear choice in legitimate elections

MEPs from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament Kristian Vigenin, Marek Siwiec, Norbert Neuser and Juan Fernando López Aguilar have said that the parliamentary elections in Ukraine complied with international standards, the S&D observer mission said in a statement on Monday.

"The conduct of Ukraine's parliamentary elections can be considered as legitimate and orderly, exceeding most critics' expectations. While various concerns were raised during the campaign, these should not discredit the outcome of the elections," President of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Hannes Swoboda said.

"The real winners of the parliamentary elections are the Ukrainian voters who have exercised their right to vote and clearly expressed their political will," reads the statement.

The preliminary results of these elections, in particular, the arrival of two new parties in the Verkhovna Rada, according to the mission's members, confirms that "the Ukrainian people were not only aware of the wide choice of parties and manifestos but could also come to their conclusions based on the credibility of the respective parties' campaigns."

The observers also highlighted the need for the new government to resolve the case of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko:

"We expect the new government to make further improvements in the election legislation taking into account the concerns of the international observers, in particular, the distribution of seats in the PECs (precinct election commissions), access to the media and measures to avoid state resources being used for party interests. Our joint appeal is directed at the new government, so that together with the European Parliament's envoys Aleksander Kwasniewski and Pat Cox, a reasonable solution to the Tymoshenko case can be found," reads the statement.

"We look forward to a stronger relationship between the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada, both on bilateral and multilateral levels. The conduct of these elections also revives hope for continued good relations between the EU and Ukraine, including the signing of the association agreement," the observers said.