Observer: Video surveillance at polling stations in Ukraine to favor transparency of electoral process
Kyiv, September 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The installation of Web cameras at polling stations in parliamentary elections in Ukraine ensures greater transparency of the electoral process, an election observer in Ukraine from NGO For Fair Elections, lawyer Michael Hohendahl, has said.
"Our organization is made up of lawyers and political scientists. We've observed at elections in Ukraine many times. These elections are particularly interesting to us, because a year ago there was a change in the electoral law, which opens up new possibilities," he said on Thursday at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, dedicated to the first results of international observation of the parliamentary elections in Ukraine.
He stressed the importance of providing ordinary citizens, not only parties, with the opportunity to participate in the elections.
"We believe that this reform opens up new interesting possibilities for participation in democratic processes in Ukraine. Since along with parties, ordinary citizens had the opportunity to participate in the elections," he said.
"In addition, the permission to install Web cameras at polling stations is also interesting, as it opens up additional opportunities for monitoring and ensures greater transparency of the electoral process. Since in other countries there is no law on the installation of Webs camera [at polling stations], it will be interesting to monitor how it works," Hohendahl said.
For Fair Elections registered 52 observers at the Central Election Commission for parliamentary elections in Ukraine. Representatives of the organization starting monitoring the election process from September 2 by visiting Kyiv and Odesa regions.
The parliamentary elections in Ukraine are scheduled for October 28.