Preparatory meetings on 25 May 2014 in Poltava oblast have started with procedural violations.
Thus, gross violation of election legislation was noticed by observer of Civil Network OPORA Linnyk Nataliia in city of Poltava, at polling station #531209 (election district #146). Contrary to the requirements of electoral legislation, the safe with ballots was opened by head of the PEC #531209 and law-enforcement officer before the beginning of preparatory meeting and without other members of precinct commission and observers present. Observer of the Civil Network OPORA appealed to the Commission Head Bushma Vitalina Volodymyrivna, but she couldn't explain her actions, and pleaded that she's not experienced and don't know the electoral legislation well. The meeting itself was quite muddled and didn't correspond to the procedure.
Civic monitoring conducted by OPORA - is a type of network activity, aimed at impartial assessment of the preparation and conduct of elections, as well as preventing electoral violations through comprehensive civic action. Since March, OPORA conducts a wide observation campaign during snap Presidential election, interim Parliamentary elections (district #83), and special local elections. The organization cooperates with 175 long-term observers, who are watching the course of election campaign in all Ukrainian regions. On the Election Day on May 25, 3,000 activists will join them to conduct the parallel vote tabulation, based on statistical sample.