The Central Election Commission has allowed Civil Network OPORA to deploy official observers during re-election of MPs of Ukraine on December 15 this year. All 13 members of the CEC who attended the meeting have supported this decision.
According to the speaker, member of the Commission Yuliia Shvets, OPORA is registered in the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, what can be proved by the corresponding certificate. Besides that, the organization is all-Ukrainian and has electoral observation included in its statutory duties.
According to the OPORA's jurist Valerii Korniiko, official observers have the certain privileges as subjects of the electoral process. In contrast to journalists, who can only broadly disseminate information about the facts and events occurring during elections, official observers have the right to appeal against decisions, actions or inaction of the other subjects of the election process.
We remind that on October 16, 2013 Civil Network OPORA has launched a large-scale monitoring campaign in 5 problematic districts, which includes long- and short-term observation. The organization will attract more than 600 activists to conduct the parallel vote tabulation and qualitative observation during the election day. OPORA will systematically inform the public about the course of election campaign, as well as whether subjects of the election process observe the electoral legislation, officials participate in the race, and all the interested parties adhere to generally recognized international standards. The organization is also planning to secure on-line broadcasting from the DECs during receipt of protocols of precinct election commissions. Large-scale civic observation is aimed to prevent violations and abuses during the vote count process.
Predictions and evaluation made by OPORA: starting the elections in 5 districts