Canadian observers uncover fake election commission document
January 18 2010, Kyiv, Ukraine - The Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) Election Observation Mission presented its preliminary findings after Sunday’s first round presidential election vote in Ukraine. While the elections were found to be generally free and fair, the Canadians did uncover isolated incidents of electoral fraud that could potentially disenfranchise millions of voters should similar schemes become widespread in what promises to be a hotly-contested runoff round of elections early next month.
“Our current assessment indicates that on balance, in the Oblasts under observation, there was an adequate attempt to meet internationally accepted standards for free and fair elections. However there remains an overriding concern that the institutionalization of free and fair elections requires a greater exercise of political will at the highest levels,” chief observer Lubomyr Markevych told journalists in Kyiv on Monday.
“An Election Day failure by Ukraine’s Central Election Commission to take emergency action in District Election Commission #91 (Bila Tserkva, Kyiv Oblast) where 23 polling stations failed to convene opening day quorums led to chaotic voting conditions and the disenfranchisement of voters, including those voting at home. An additional provocation occurred with the circulation of a false CEC declaration (see attachment) advising that the election was postponed to a future date,” Markevych said.
On January 17th 2010, Ukraine's voters cast their ballots in the country's fifth presidential election since gaining independence 19 years ago. A total of 18 registered candidates contested the election and assured citizens of a genuine choice. Official results have not been announced but preliminary returns suggest that no candidate will obtain the necessary 50% + 1 of votes cast. Accordingly the top two contenders – former premiers and bitter Orange Revoltion rivals Viktor Yanukovych and Yulia Tymoshenko – will advance to a second round to be held in February 2010.
CUF, in association with UCC, established its 2010 Election Observation Mission (EOM) on January 3, 2010 deploying experienced and trained Canadian volunteer election observers. The EOM was comprised of 5 team leaders and 60 short-term observers in 6 oblasts (regional centers) observing over 600 polling stations.
The full text of the preliminary report – and a copy of the fake order postponing elections – can be downloaded here:
CUF Chief Observer Lubomyr Markevych (right) shows journalists the fake Central Election Commission resolution on postponing the elections until the end of January as Chief of Mission Hania Szyptur looks on in Kyiv, January 18. Canadian election observers uncovered the fake resolution, widely circulated in rural areas of Kyiv oblast the night before Election Day.
The Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) is a Canadian charitable foundation established by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress to coordinate, develop, organize and deliver assistance projects generated by Canadians and directed to Ukraine. CUF has organized and lead several internationally-acclaimed election observation missions to Ukraine, earning the highest award available to a Canadian civic organization – the Certificate of Commendation – bestowed by the Governor General of Canada in 2005.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) brings together under one umbrella all the national, provincial and local Ukrainian Canadian organization throughout Canada. Together with its member organizations, the UCC has been leading, coordinating and representing the interests of one of Canada’s largest ethnic communities (1.2 million) for almost 70 years.
