CIS-EMO observers say Ukraine's local elections valid
The local government elections in Ukraine can be considered valid, as the irregularities in the electoral process were unsystematic, according to the mission of observers of the Commonwealth of the Independent States - Elections Monitoring Organization (CIS-EMO).
"The elections to the local authorities can be considered valid. The irregularities registered during the elections were isolated and unsystematic, and should be taken into account to further improve Ukrainian electoral laws," CIS-EMO observers said in a preliminary statement of the mission announced at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.
According to the observers, the irregularities and violations registered by representatives of the mission at polling stations would not seriously affect the results of the local elections in Ukraine.
The CIS-EMO mission is made up of 65 people from ten countries, including members of the European Parliament. The monitors were working in 15 regions of Ukraine, hourly reporting their observations to the mission's central office in Kyiv.
The mission will announce its final conclusions later.