Poll: Some two-thirds of Ukrainians expect falsifications at local elections

Kyiv, September 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – About 60% of the population of Ukraine expects falsification at the forthcoming local elections, scheduled for October 31, 2010.

Head of the Rating Sociology Group Oleksiy Antypovych said this during a press conference hosted by Interfax-Ukraine on September 27, 2010, while commenting on the results of a sociology poll by the group.

According to the poll, which was carried out on September 9-16, some 31% of respondents expect significant falsification that will influence the results of the elections, while another 28% of respondents said they would not affect the vote.

"The expectation of falsification [at the elections] is usual, but today we are speaking about 60%, and only 18% – every fifth person – expects no falsifications to take place," Antypovych said.

Residents of southern and western regions expressed the strongest concern about possible falsification. These areas are strongholds of the opposition Svoboda Party, the Batkivschyna Party and the Front for Change Party.

Meanwhile, respondents from the Donbas, where the Regions Party enjoys strong support, said they do not expect significant falsifications.

Some 30% of respondents expect the Regions Party to attempt falsification, while 17% think the Batkivschyna Party will attempt to falsify the elections, and 30% of polled suspect other political forces of falsification at the forthcoming elections. A total of 54% polled said that after the elections Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych would strengthen his influence, and only 16% of respondents think the opposition would, some 31% of the polled were not able to answer the question.

A total of 32% of respondents think Ukraine would benefit if the president improves his position, and some 31% of the polled think it would be better if the opposition strengthens its influence.

Referring to his experience, Antypovych said that more than a half of voters with absolutely definite position usually come to the polling stations, so he forecasted a general voter turnout in Ukraine at the local elections would be 60%.