Eurasian Election Watch
Upcoming Ukrainian Parliamentary Elections
1. Polish president, in Kiev, discusses this month's Ukrainian parliamentary elections
Associated Press
March 1, 2006
Poland's new President Lech Kaczynski on Wednesday held back-to-back meetings with some of the leading candidates in this month's Ukrainian parliamentary elections.
Kaczynski was interested in "whether there is a political will and ability (in Ukraine) ... not to give a chance to the old team to gain revenge," former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said after meeting Kaczynski, referring to the opponents of the 2004 Orange Revolution who are now leading in opinion polls ahead of the March 26 vote.
Kaczynski, who was making his first official visit to this ex-Soviet republic since taking office last year, also met with the parliament speaker, Volodymyr Lytvyn, and voiced confidence that the March vote would be a "happy day" in Ukraine, Lytvyn's office said.
Both Tymoshenko and Lytvyn are leading election blocs. Kaczynski is in Ukraine for talks aimed at shoring up President Viktor Yushchenko's pro-Western course. Poland threw its support behind the Orange Revolution mass protests that paved the way to Yushchenko's victory over a Kremlin-backed rival.
The March elections are critical for Ukraine's future because they will usher in constitutional reforms under which key presidential powers will transfer to parliament, giving it a bigger role in governing Ukraine.
Both Tymoshenko and Lytvyn supported Yushchenko during the Orange events. But Tymoshenko shifted into the opposition last year after Yushchenko sacked her as prime minister, and Lytvyn's block was among those who voted to oust Yushchenko's Cabinet in January over a controversial gas deal with Russia.
The party of Yushchenko's pro-Russian rival Viktor Yanukovych is leading in the polls, but with no party poised to get a majority of votes, the deciding factor will be who can pull together a powerful enough coalition to seize the parliamentary majority.
2. Orange Camps to Create in Ukraine?
MIG News
March 1, 2006
The Polish authorities want orange forces to win in Parliament elections in Ukraine, Lekh Kachinskiy, the President of Poland declared. He has assured that his country will cooperate with any Ukrainian government anyway.
The Head of the Polish state remarked that taking into account situation in Poland for the last 15 years, he understands that pro-Western policy, followed by Ukraine, should not stop working, because it can lead to the negative consequences for Ukraine, for Poland and Europe. He is satisfied with his visit into Poland, emphasizing that aim of visit was to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Besides, Lekh Kachinskiy expressed assuredness that Poland and Ukraine “cooperating with each other, can be a strong power in relations with Europe”. He estimates positively relations of both countries nowadays and he hopes that it will reach the new stage.
As for this new stage, the Polish leader has remarked that Poland will continue to offer Ukraine support on joining EU and NATO “by making more efforts”.
The Head of Poland has expressed hope that relations between Presidents of both countries play a significant role. Lekh Kachinskiy hopes to maintain friendly relations on the regional level also. In particular, he assured that he would discuss Ukraine’s tendency to integrate into EU and NATO with leaders of other countries.
3. Yushchenko will be reported about the elections
Ukrayinska Pravda
March 1, 2006
President Viktor Yushchenko will conduct a meeting with the Heads of State Oblast Administrations and the Head of Central Electoral Commission Yaroslav Davydovych.
The meeting is planned to be held on March, 1 at 3 p.m., as Ukrainian News was reported by the press-office of the President.
The subject of the meeting will be the execution of Presidential decree of honest elections.
As it was reported earlier, in January Yushchenko by his own decree assign to provide democratic elections.
4. Always ready! Simonenko is aiming at the chair of the new parliament speaker
Ostrov
February 28, 2006
The leader of the Communist Party, Petr Simonenko, is ready to claim the position of the chairman of Verkhovna Rada. He said that yesterday in air of television program of the Studio '1+1', according to 'Proua.com'. 'As for my personal preparation, I am ready for that,' he said.
P. Simonenkjo also noted that everything would depend on the voting results on 16 March. 'It will certainly be determined by the citizens at elections, because much depends on their will,' the CPU leader noted.
He also declared that CPU is able to independently form the Cabinet of Ministers.
5. Oblast prosecution has got the special phone to get the information about election violations
Ostrov
February 28, 2006
The Donetsk oblast prosecution has made the decision to arrange the 'telephone line of confidence'. It is planned to establish the urgent communication between the employees of the oblast prosecutions with prosecution bodies in cities and regions of the Donetsk oblast, according to the press service of the Donetsk prosecution.
The Line of Confidence' is (062) 332-60-54.
It has been dome to provide the observance of requirements to the elections of the people's deputies and efficient responding to the facts of violations. The Donetsk oblast prosecution has created the 'telephone line of confidence'.
6. The black imaging of Tymoshenko is replaced by the cemetery one
Ostrov
February 28, 2006
The black image, practically cemetery one was presented yesterday on the Lenin square during the action devoted to Julia Tymoshenko's visit to Donetsk.
The poster without any publishing data has the picture of Julia Tymoshenko putting the flowers to the gave of Donbass.
'The tomb of Donbass has the cross covered with white scarves with BuyT symbols. The mourning wreath has the view of Julia Tymoshenko's plait, The burial entourage is added with the picture of the Donetsk oblast map surrounded – how can we do without it? – with barbed wire.
7. Social Monitoring Poll: Party Of Regions, Our Ukraine, BYT, SPU, CPU, Lytvyn's Bloc, Vitrenko's Bloc, And Kostenko-Pliusch Bloc To Win Seats In Next Rada
Ukrainian News
February 28, 2006
The Party of Regions, the Our Ukraine bloc, Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, the Socialist Party, the Communist Party, the People's Bloc of Lytvyn, the People's Opposition Bloc of Vitrenko, the Ukrainian People's Bloc of Kostenko and Pliusch are to clear the three-percent threshold for election into the parliament, according to a poll conducted by the Social Monitoring center.
A copy of the poll findings is available to Ukrainian News.
The Party of Regions is in the lead with the support from 30.1% of respondents who plan to come and have made their decisions how to vote, while the second place is occupied by the Our Ukraine with 18.5% of votes, and the Tymoshenko Bloc is taking up the third position with 13.7%.
The SPU has 7.2% of votes, the CPU 6.9%, Lytvyn's Bloc 5.7%, Vitrenko's Bloc 3.3%, and Kostenko and Pliusch Bloc 3.2%.
According to the poll, the Pora-ROP bloc will receive the support from 2.4% of respondents.
The rating of the SPU, the CPU, Lytvyn's bloc, Vitrenko's bloc, and Kostenko-Pliusch bloc grew in the past month.
The Socialist Party gained 0.3% over January, the CPU and Lytvyn's bloc gained 0.8% each.
Vitrenko's bloc gained 2.1%, Kostenko-Pliusch Bloc 2.5%, the NE TAK! Bloc 1.2%, and the Pora-ROP gained the support from 1.2% of respondents.
The poll indicates that the number of those who do not support any of the political parties or election blocs reduced in February over January.
According to the poll, the seats in the Rada will be distributed as the following: the Party of Regions will win 153 seats, the Our Ukraine bloc 94, the BYT 70, the SPU 36, the CPU 35, Lytvyn's Bloc 29, Vitrenko's Bloc 17, and the Kostenko-Pliusch Bloc 16.
According to experts, neither of the majority coalition will be formed without Lytvyn's bloc. Experts say that a pro-presidential coalition will be formed if the Kostenko-Pliusch bloc clears the three-percent threshold. According to the poll, 91% of voters will take part in the elections.
The poll was conducted in all regions of Ukraine, Crimea, and Kyiv February 18 through February 22.
The stress was made on little settlements and villages.
A total of 3,056 respondents aging over 18 took part in the poll. The error margin is within 1.83%.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the election will take place on March 26.
8. Semenyuk notes that as of the today the State Property Fund has no complaints against Kryvorizhstal
UNIAN Business
February 28, 2006
Valentina Semenyuk, Chairwoman of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, notes that as of the today the Fund has no complaints against the Kryvorizhstal Metallurgical Plant.
According to a report by the UNIAN news agency correspondent, Valentina Semenyuk made the announcement today during a press conference in the city of Donetsk.
“I want to say that as of the today the State Property Fund has no complaints against Kryvorizhstal,” Valentina Semenyuk said.
At the same time she noted that today she cannot say whether or not Kryvorizhstal’s investors are honoring their commitments. “I cannot guess beforehand whether or not are they are honoring their commitments: as of today I have no relevant information,” Valentina Semenyuk noted.
She explained that the State Property Fund of Ukraine conducts monitoring on a quarterly basis and the first inspection team will come to Kryvorizhstal in March.
Valentina Semenyuk specifically emphasized that the State Property Fund of Ukraine is authorized to put together a report on the results of an inspection only “six months after the owner appears on the grounds of an enterprise.”
“We are authorized to put together a report only six months after the owner appears on the grounds of an enterprise in the presence of the trade union committee, which directly participates in formulating the terms of the tender,” emphasized the head of the State Property Fund.
She also pointed out that “in the run-up to the elections certain politicos seek to capitalize on the situation with performance on the terms of the tender.” “I invariably respond to them in the following way: Dear friends, you have to look at the relevant norm of the law which sets forth the time for us to check performance on the terms of the tender,” Valentina Semenyuk concluded.
9. Poroshenko claims he is not going to lead the government after the elections
UNIAN
February 28, 2006
The Spokesman of the Political Council of the Our Ukraine Bloc Pyotr Poroshenko claims he is not going to lead the government after the end of the parliamentary elections.
According to the information made available to the UNIAN news agency by the Press Office of the People’s Union Our Ukraine, he made that announcement on February 27, during his live appearance on the Inter TV Channel.
“If the candidacy of a modest persona Pyotr Poroshenko will stand in somebody’s way towards an agreement, I assure you, let it be the biggest obstacle in the way of putting together a coalition... ,” he added. (UNIAN’s note: On February 27, the leader of the Kostenko-Plyushch Bloc Yury Kostenko said that the negotiations on creating a coalition of “orange” forces in the future Parliament have been disrupted by the struggle over who should lead the government: the leader of the BYuT Yulia Tymoshenko or the member of the Political Council of the Our Ukraine Electoral Bloc Pyotr Poroshenko).
As for support for the candidacy of Viktor Yanukovich to occupy the post of Prime Minister, Pyotr Poroshenko reminded that his political force and he did not vote for Viktor Yanukovich the Prime Minister in 2003; did not vote in favor of the program he sponsored in 2004; voted in full strength for his dismissal from the post of Prime Minister in the late 2004, when the election fraud was proved; and will not vote for Viktor Yanukovich the Prime Minister in future, “because we are strongly convinced that this is a tragedy for the state.”
Speaking about the operating methods of the Party of Regions, Pyotr Poroshenko noted that it has demonstrated them “when during its last month (in power) it granted 500 licenses to use subsurface mineral reserves, when Kryvorizhstal was stolen, and when half of the Ukrainian property was sold for a song.” “They want a come-back. They want to get back to the pork barrel. I am confident that you will be kept away from the pork barrel, the Ukrainian people will keep you away,” Pyotr Poroshenko said.
10. 91 percent of the Ukrainians are going to go the polling stations
Podrobnosti
February 28, 2006
A record number of Ukrainians are willing to tale part in the voting on March 26. According to the results of a poll conducted by the Institute for Social Studies and the Social Monitoring Center, 91 percent of the citizens are going to go the polling stations.
The poll’s findings also suggest that if the elections were held today, representatives of six political forces would make it into Parliament.
More than 30 percent of those interviewed support the Party of Regions. The party beats by a wide margin its closest contester, Our Ukraine, which has 18.5 percent. They two are followed by the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, the Socialist Party of Ukraine, the Communists, and the Litvin Bloc.
The Natalia Vitrenko Bloc and the Kostenko-Plyushch Bloc are expected to pass the three-percent vote threshold, too. The social scientists also note that in February leaders of the parties, in particular Moroz, Litvin, Vitrenko, and Kostenko, have improved their personal ratings.
11. Zinchenko kept out of Poroshenko’s TV channel because of his rating
The Ukrainskaya Pravda
February 28, 2006
The Editorial Board of TV Channel 5 explains its refusal to allow Aleksandr Zinchenko, leader of the Party of Patriotic Forces, to take part in the debates by the fact that his party has a low rating.
The Editorial Board of TV Channel 5 has from the very start taken the rating figures as the basic principle in pairing potential participants in the TV studio debates (based on the results of several social surveys), says a statement by the TV channel’s Press Office.
“Each episode of the project’s series pits in a live broadcast two fives from the elections lists of the political parties supported by more than 1 percent of the Ukrainians. According to the same polls, the figures of support shown to the Party of Patriotic Forces do not pass this threshold,” the document says.
The Press Office also notes that Zinchenko’s Press Secretary Olesya Bozhko turned to the Editorial Board with a request to take part in the televised debates as late as on Tuesday morning, while in fact all the pairs had been approved already on the previous night.
The Press Office of the Party of Patriotic Forces announced earlier that Zinchenko’s request to take part in the televised debates on the TV channel was turned down.
“The initiative by TV Channel 5 puts into big question the opportunity of equal access to the TV air for all entities in the election race and is strikingly in conflict with the spirit of the “Honest Channel,” the reputation it got during the events of the orange revolution,” the statement by the Press Office reads.
“The criterion for selecting the participants looks all the more flimsy, given that, according to the Press Office of TV Channel 5, the mentioned project is a non-commercial one and is being pursued with support from the Ukrainian Media Fund at the United States Embassy in Ukraine and the Revival International Fund,” says the Party of Patriotic Forces.
The Press Office of the Party of Patriotic Forces also reminds that the Veche Party, the Natalia Vitrenko Bloc “People’s Opposition”, the “Nye Tak!” Opposition Bloc, and the Communist Party have been invited to take part in the televised debates.
12. "Our Ukraine" Praises Akhmetov
Nashe Vremya Newspaper
February 28, 2006
The election bloc "Our Ukraine" welcomes the use of its election slogans by Rinat Akhmetov, representative of the Party of the Regions.
This was stated today by Anatoly Lutsenko, head of the Analytical Department of "Our Ukraine's" Central Headquarters.
Commenting on the speech made by Akhmetov in Donetsk, in which he used one of the slogans of "Our Ukraine" – "We have one Ukraine" Lutsenko said "We are glad that Rinat Akhmetov, who runs for the parliament on the Party of the Region's ticket, has understood that we have one Ukraine."
"If this message has come home to Akhmetov, we hope that in the future this is going to be precisely what the regionalists' policy will be aimed at: the protection of the national interests and the unity of the country rather than its splitting and dependence on the will of the neighboring state," noted Lutsenko.
13. Tomenko Is Sure Akhmetov Will Talk Yanukovich Into Holding Debates with Timoshenko
Korrespondent
February 28, 2006
UNIAN reports that Nikolai Tomenko, deputy head of the BYT, hopes Rinat Akhmetov will talk Viktor Yanukovich, leader of the Party of the Regions, into having debates with the BYT leader Yuliya Timoshenko.
He said so today at a press conference.
"Because the main purpose of these elections, particularly in view of the constitutional changes, is, after all, the election of the head of the government and new ministers, the public polls show that Viktor Yanukovich and Yuliya Timoshenko stand the best chance of occupying the office of prime minister. Therefore, so far as the debates between Viktor Yanukovich and Yuliya Timoshenko are concerned, I think that it is the debates between the leaders of the this election race that would be of the greatest interest for the voters," said Tomenko.
"Since the leader of the Party of the Regions is afraid of such debates, we put all hope on Rinat Akhmetov. We hope that he will be able to convince Viktor Yanukovich to hold debates with his main rival, at least on "his own" territory – in Donetsk, at TRK "Ukraine," founded by the companies which are rumored to be associated with Akhmetov," added Tomenko. He recalled that it was not the first time that he made this proposal and that yesterday Yuliya Timoshenko mentioned this speaking live from this TV and radio company.
According to Tomenko, the problem of organization of such debates at other TV companies is more difficult because they are interested in a different format of these debates. This is the case, he says, with Channel 5, controlled by Petr Poroshenko, who represents a certain political force, while the general producer of "1+1" runs for the Supreme Rada on Our Ukraine's ticket, where he holds the 4th place.
"Therefore, at the present time, the only chance for the Ukrainian voters to see the debates between the leaders in the race for the office of prime minister is TRK "Ukraine," said Tomenko.
On February 24, Yanukovich stated that he dreams of holding debates with Yushchenko and is ready to debate with Yury Ekhanurov, leader of the election bloc "Our Ukraine."
"We are happy that Viktor Fedorovich has waken up, at last," stated "Our Ukraine" responding to Yanukovich's dreams.
Petr Poroshenko, one of the leaders of "Our Ukraine," suggested that the political technologists prohibited Viktor Yanukovich, leader of the Party of the Regions, from appearing on TV.
14. If the Party of the Regions Wins, the Parliament will become Part of the Corporation – Yuliya Timoshenko
Kontekst-media
February 28, 2006
Yuliya Timoshenko is convinced that if the Party of the Regions gains power, the Parliament and the Government will become a part of a big corporation and will rubberstamp the decisions of Akhmetov, and not even of Yanukovich.
She made this statement at a press conference in Lugansk.
For the umpteenth time she stated that she would not ally with the Party of the Regions and that she was trying to avoid the need to form coalitions with anybody. "When you have Akhmetov on the one side and Poroshenko is on the other side, you do not want to form any coalitions: you only want to come to power as one big self-contained team without any bargaining, like "you give us 'Ukrtelecom' and we will give you the sons of war law." According to Timoshenko such humiliating bargaining is going on at the parliament every day. She says BYT can well win the elections all by itself.
15. Member of Litvin's Bloc Reminds Yanukovich Who Is the Father of the Party of the Regions
Obkom
February 28, 2006
Vladimir Seminozhenko, a member of Vladimir Litvin's bloc, was recalling in Lvov that at some time in the past he had taken part in the formation of the Party of the Regions and that more than a half of party organizations were formed with his active participation.
Today, however, Vladimir Seminozhenko, positions himself as a moderate critic: "I criticize separate actions of the parties and politicians, which are not in Ukraine's interests, rather than the parties or politicians themselves."
From Obkom: And why not whip the scoundrels born of such a father – Yanukovich, Akhmetov, Kolesnikov, Azarov, Piskun...In short, see the ticket of Seminozhenko's party.
16. Akhmetov Spares No Money for the Elections
Tribuna
February 28, 2006
Yesterday, speaking live on the Inter TV channel, Poroshenko said that the Party of the Regions had already spent 24 million grivnas on the election campaign.
"At present, the Party of the Regions is on the air all the time. It is a leader in terms of the money it spends on advertising," said P. Poroshenko.
He stressed that the amount of TV air time used by the bloc "Our Ukraine" was one half of that used by the Party of the Regions. "This is the objective data of the CEC with regard to the expenditure of the advertising budgets as of today. We have spent practically one half of what was spent by the Party of the Regions," added P. Poroshenko.
Responding to this statement Evgeny Kushnarev, manager of the election campaign of the Party of the Regions, who was also present at the Inter studio, noted: "Honestly speaking, this is the first time I see Petr Alexeevich (Poroshenko - Ed.) counting money in someone else's pocket – so far as I know he is an expert on his own pockets. However, it is election time and I understand everything," said E. Kushnarev. He stressed that, under the law, after the parliamentary elections all parties, including the Party of the Regions and "Our Ukraine" would have to submit official financial reports to the Central Election Commission and these reports would be audited and made public. He said: "At that time everybody will know how much everybody has spent."
P. Poroshenko countered that in this case there was no need to wait until the end of the elections. He said: "You can now apply to the CEC and the CEC will officially inform you that, as of today, the Party of the Regions has spent almost 24 million grivnas on its advertising campaign."
E. Kushnarev responding to this by saying: "We spend as much as we need to gain victory."
17. Timoshenko is selected because of confidence, while Yanukovich with the help of relatives
Ukrainiskaya pravda
February 28, 2006
96% of the voters made their minds about the choice during this campaign thanks to the publicity.
Olga Balakireva, head of the centre Social Monitoring, said that on Tuesday when commenting on the results of the survey conducted by the centre in conjunction with the Ukrainian Institute of Social Research.
At the same time a large number of advertisements causes irritation, she noted.
According to the survey, the supporters of the bloc of Natalia Vitrenko ‘People’s Opposition,’ the Communist Party and the Party of Regions motivate their choice by the fact that the said political parties defend the interests close to those of the people.
Confidence in the leader became the major factor among the BYT supporters. The electorate of the Ukrainian people’s bloc of Kostenko and Plusch, the Party of Regions, the blocs Our Ukraine and ‘Ne tak!’ place emphasis on the programme of the party.
For the supporters of the Party of Regions the opinion of relatives or friends is also important.
The poll was conducted in the period from 18 to 22 February 2006 over the entire territory of Ukraine. 3056 respondents were polled aged above 18. Selection totality is national, representative with increased representation of small populated points (small towns, urban-type villages).
18. Timoshenko is not a rival for Our Ukraine
Ukrainiskaya pravda
February 28, 2006
First deputy to the head of Our Ukraine election campaign manager Roman Zvarich does not regard Yulia Timoshenko as a competitor with which it is necessary to hold a debate.
‘Our rival in the election is not Yulia Timoshenko….In the first place, it is Victor Yanukovich and the Party of Regions,’ said he in an interview to journalists in Kiev on Tuesday.
Zvarych added that if Timoshenko wants to hold a debate with Our Ukraine, then the representatives of this political force ‘should decide whom to nominate for the debate.’
‘If she wants to hold a debate on the level of personalities only, if she wants to further convince the nation that this is not the election of the deputies, but that of the premier, if she wants to debate with the incumbent prime minister, it is unacceptable,’ he said.
19. Today Yuschenko will ask Chuprun whether the pre-election race is held honestly in the Donetsk region
Ostrov
February 28, 2006
At 15.00 today Ukraine’s President Victor Yuschenko will hold a meeting with the chairpersons of the state regional administrations and the chairman of the Central Election Commission Yaroslav Davidovich.
This was reported by the President’s press service, Obkom writes with reference to Ukrainski Novini.
The agenda of the meeting is fulfillment of the presidential decree on honest elections.
20. Politicians should wake up early in the morning to take part in free debate on ICTV
Ostrov
February 28, 2006
On the 7th of March a new social and political project ‘Key Issues’ is launched on ICTV. The purpose is to highlight the positions of the election race leaders, parties and blocs that can be termed today as the probable representatives of the people in the Supreme Rada, ICTV reported.
The project developers plan to produce and air 12 half-hour programmes with the representatives of political forces who, as of the 1st of January 2006, enjoy the biggest popular support according to the sociological data.
Namely: the Party of Regions, Our Ukraine, BYT, People’s bloc of Vladimir Litvin, SPU (socialists), CPU (communists), the civil Bloc Pora-PRP, the bloc of the people’s opposition of Natalia Vitrenko, the opposition bloc ‘Ne tak!’, the party Veche, the Bloc of Popular-Democratic Parties, the bloc of Kostenko and Plusch.
The agenda will include the following issues, among others:
- what is specifically proposed by the political force that a guest is representing in order to change the life of Ukrainians for the better;
- what steps it plans to undertake in the Supreme Rada to improve the state of affairs in the fields of medicine, education, economics, pension reform, communal services.
Participation in the programme is free of charge. The programmes will be aired until March 24 on weekdays at 8.10 a.m.
21. Many parties decided not to pay 700 thousand grivnas for participation in debates on channel «1+1», but to argue with opponents on channel 5 free of charge
Ostrov
February 28, 2006
The project of channel "1+1" titled ‘Election-2006. TV debate’ that Anna Bezulik was supposed to host was a flop. Within the framework of the project only one debate took place between Vitrenko’s bloc People’s Opposition and the party Veche of Inna Bogoslovskaya at 22.10 p.m. (duration is about 50-55 minutes). The remaining pairs of the participants were never formed, writes the Segodnya newspaper.
The reason for that was explained by Taras Shevchenko, head of the Independent Council on the issues of mass media. It is this particular organization that was supposed to have paired off the ‘debaters.’ ‘The matter is that only Vitrenko and Bogoslavskaya filed applications in time, others refused. Some because of the price (about 700 thousand grivnas had to be paid to participate in the debate), while the others because they didn’t want to debate with a particular party. ‘Our Ukraine wanted to do it only with the Party of Regions, which the latter didn’t want and wanted free air and did not recognize channel Election-2006 ‘1+1’ as an objective and fair channel. BYT wanted to debate with the Party of Regions or with Our Ukraine, the latter in their turn did not want that,’ said T.Shevchenko.’
On channel 5 the debate will run for the first time on March 5 (at 21.30 p.m.). In the debate the top fives will participate from the bloc of Natalia Vitrenko ‘People’s Opposition’ and the party Veche of Inna Bogoslovskaya. All in all, there will be five of them and the parties will not be charged for them. These will be held on Saturdays and Sundays (also, at half past nine p.m.) for an hour (see the schedule in the table).
Journalist Egor Sobolev said that all pairs, except the last two, gave their consent: BYT and communists do not want discussions with each other (Timoshenko wants to debate either with Our Ukraine men or with the PoR representatives). The Party of Regions is still thinking.
‘But for sure, after the first debates doubts of the three above-mentioned associations will be dispelled,’ hopes E.Sobolev.
22. None of the coalition will create a majority in the new parliament without participation of Litvin’s Bloc, a sociologist believes
Interfax-Ukraine
February 28, 2006
In Ukraine’s future parliament ‘none of the coalitions will be able to create a majority without the participation of Litvin’s bloc,’ forecasts Olga Balakireva, chairperson of the board of the Ukrainian institute of sociological research named after Yaremenko.
She said that when presenting the results of social survey conducted in the period from 18 to 22 February among 3056 people of Ukraine’s 172 populated points. According to the results of the sociological survey, the leaders of the election race remain the same: the Party of Regions – 30.1%, the bloc Our Ukraine – 18.5%, the bloc of Yulia Timoshenko – 13.7%. The Socialist Party is expected to collect 7.2%, the Communist Party – 6.9%, the bloc of Natalia Vitrenko ‘People’s opposition’ – 3.3% of the votes.
Litvin’s bloc and the bloc of Kostenko-Plusch (3.2%) are also expected to overcome the 3% barrier. The bloc ‘Ne tak!’ and the bloc Pora-PRP also have real chances of being elected to parliament (2.8% and 2.4%, respectively). According to O.Balakireva, the party Veche (0.9%, the Green Party (0.8%), the NDP bloc (0.6%) have practically no chances.
Based on this data the institute forecasts that in the future parliament ‘none of the coalitions will create a majority without the participation of Litvin’s bloc (29 seats), while for the pro-presidential coalition it is important that the bloc of Kostenko-Plusch be elected into the Supreme Rada. Sociologists assume that the coalition of PoR, CPU and the bloc People’s Opposition will unite 205, while the coalition Our Ukraine, BYT, SPU, the bloc Kostenko-Plusch – 216 deputies.
O.Balakireva believes that the ‘left political forces will collect more votes than is indicated by the polling results. She substantiated her opinion by the fact that a significant part of the ‘left’ electorate resides in the countryside where ‘sociological services normally do not reach.’ To prevent distortions of the results during the conduct of a sociological survey the specialists of the institute together with the centre Social Monitoring took a decision to ‘set up super representation of small populated points.’
As per the Institute’s data, the pattern of changes in the voters’ moods indicates that under the conditions of a steady number of supporters of the majority of the main key players BYT is losing the level of support (13.7% versus 19.0% in October 2005), and, vice versa, the number of supporters of the bloc Kostenko-Plusch (3.2% versus 1.3%), the bloc ‘Ne tak!’ (2.8% versus 2.2%), the bloc PORA-PRP (2.4% versus 1.0%) is growing.
Announcing the survey results O.Balakireva also noted high political activity of the population and its growth in the past four months starting from October 2005. ‘It is possible to forecast that at least 73-75% will come to the polling stations,’ said she.
O.Balakireva noted that the majority of the respondents, unlike the previous parliamentary elections, give priority to the ideology of a political force and not to its election programme.
The residents of the western regions and the capital are more sympathetic to the national-democratic ideology, while in eastern, southern regions and in the Crimea people support ‘the political direction which pools the ideas of market economy and unification of Ukraine and Russia.’ The residents of central and northern regions have the most diverse views.
The stated sampling error of the said sociological survey is not in excess of 1.83%.
23. The Our Ukraine Bloc, BYuT, Pora and SPU have signed the statement of the Coalition in Lviv
Press Service of Our Ukraine Electoral Bloc
March 1, 2006
The head of Lviv municipal Electoral Bloc “Our Ukraine” Oleh Mandyuk, the head of Lviv oblast headquarters of the BYuT Stepan Kurpil, the head of Lviv municipal organization of Public party “Pora” Markiyan Ivashychyn and the head of Lviv oblast organization of the SPU Yevhen Talipov signed the statement of the Coalition about the main principles of holding the election campaign and activity of future factions in Lviv city council.
Signing the appeal, participants took a number of obligations. They will hold fair, transparent and democratic elections. They promised not to use the administrative resource and dirty technologies. The point is that formation of a political coalition of democratic forces creating the majority in the city council is created in order to ensure normal city functioning and city management.
24. “There is only one Ukraine for all of us” tour will come to Luhansk on March 3.
Press Service of Our Ukraine Electoral Bloc
March 1, 2006
“There is only one Ukraine for all of us” week-end tour will come to Luhansk on March 3. Luhansk governor Henadiy Moskal, the curator of Lunansk oblast Davyd Zhvaniya, Olha Herasimyuk and Petro Poroshenko will participate. VV and Tartak bands will also come.
The event starts at 4 p.m. on the Theatre Square in Luhansk.
As we have already announced, the All-Ukrainian week-end tour “There is only one Ukraine for all of us” takes place in 17 cities of Ukraine.
Schedule:
March 4, Saturday
Zaporizhya
12 a.m. Festyvalna Square
Dnipropetrovsk
4 p.m. Lenin Square
March 5, Sunday
Poltava
12 a.m. Near the stadium “Vorskla”
Kharkiv
4 p.m. Freedom Square
March 8, Wednesday
Kherson
12 a.m.
Mykolayiv
4 p.m.
March 11, Saturday
Chernivtsi
12 a.m.
Ternopil
4 p.m.
March 12, Sunday
Uzhhorod 12 a.m.
Lviv 4 p.m.
March 18, Saturday
Khmelnystkyi 12 a.m.
Vinnytsya 4 p.m.
Kyiv 4 p.m.
March 19, Sunday
Kirovohrad 12 a.m.
Cherkasy 4 p.m.
March 22, Wednesday
Sumy 4 p.m.
March 23, Thursday
Odesa 4 p.m.
25. The Socialists and the Our Ukraine Bloc signed an agreement on co-operation in Rivne
Press Service of Our Ukraine Electoral Bloc
March 1, 2006
Yesterday representatives of two political forces in Rivne oblast, the Our Ukraine Bloc and the Socialist Party signed an agreement “About principles of holding the election campaign at the elections of people’s deputies of Ukraine and local councils on March 26, 2006 by the oblast organizations of political parties and electoral blocs”. Signature is backed by the oblast Our Ukraine Bloc.
Participants of the agreement pledge to hold the election campaign according to the demands of the present legislation, follow the principles of mutual respect and tolerant attitude towards other political forces. An important item of the agreement is the participants’ refusal to use dirty election techniques, black PR, political provocations, distribution of false and unchecked information about political opponents during the election campaign. The agreement is to become an important step towards fair and transparent elections.
Coordination Council composed of leaders of the oblast organizations of political forces has been created. One of its functions is elaboration of methods, forms and directions of co-operation of two sides after the elections held on March 25, 2006 in purpose of development of democracy and favor of socioeconomic growth in Rivne oblast.
The head of the oblast headquarters of the Our Ukraine Bloc Viktor Matchuk noted that the headquarters had already made more than 10 plaints and complaints to the electoral commissions and the court. That’s why this agreement is a proof of good will and readiness of politicians to unite before mass abuses and falsifications.
The first secretary of Rivne oblast committee of the SPU Leontiy Samchuk said: “A step of the Socialists on signature of the agreement about fair elections is quiet logic. Honesty, transparence and openness have always been the main principles of the SPU. We followed these principles when we were opposed to Kuchma regime and do not contradict them now”.
The agreement is still open and other political forces may join it if democratic norms, law and people’s will are their priority.
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