CLEAN ELECTIONS

We, the public organizations Committee of Voters of Ukraine, Democratic Initiatives Foundation, Europe XXI Foundation,


Internews-Ukraine,


Equal Opportunities Committee and Common Space Association, announce the public initiative “Fair Elections” with the aim of activating civil society to facilitate the holding of democratic elections to the Verkhovna Rada and local councils in 2006.

We see the following challenges and problems in the next elections:

Lack of internal party democracy in most Ukrainian parties, which can lead to a number of spicy situations during the formation of electoral lists.

Lack of objective information about the subjects of the electoral process, the procedure for forming electoral lists and the features of the new electoral system.

The arrival of a large number of new inexperienced employees to grassroots election commissions.

Absence of public television and real goodwill on the part of the state leadership to its creation.

Loss of interest in monitoring Ukrainian elections by authoritative international organizations.

Attempts to discredit Ukrainian elections by non-authoritative international and foreign organizations.

Fierce political competition, which can lead to the use of illegal methods of political struggle. This can be especially relevant in local elections.

Massive wars of compromising materials, fake ratings, undermining the authority of political leaders and elections in general.

To solve or mitigate these problems, we plan to conduct a number of educational, monitoring and training programs. We call on all segments of Ukrainian society to join these processes and prove that Ukrainians can not only conduct successful peaceful revolutions, but also be capable of holding clean elections without quotes.

To public organizations:

Colleagues! Enough resting on the laurels of 2004-style successes! We need to finish off the electoral problems that are emerging as relapses and treat the 2006 elections no less seriously than the past ones. Not everyone can run for office, some need to do independent work, let’s self-organize and work.

To citizens:

Fellow citizens! We draw your attention to the importance of each of you taking an active position during the next elections. After all, your choice is not a checkmark next to the party name on the ballot, it is a step into your future and the future of your children, and the voting process is not only about visiting the polling station on voting day, but also advocating for the implementation of your choice in life. Let’s work honestly and actively in election commissions, public organizations, and at our workplaces now so that we don’t have to go to Maidan again.

To the authorities:

Dear servants of the people! You hold positions of power thanks to the courage of your compatriots, you are financially supported by your citizens. Therefore

respect their desire to live in a democratic state, in which honest officials who adhere to the law in their work are in power. Please do not destroy the hopes placed on you and do not disappoint your voters. Remember the Maidan. For our part, we declare our readiness to cooperate with the authorities in communicating and explaining to voters the democratic initiatives of the authorities, and to widely educate citizens in the field of electoral legislation.

To the parties:

Politicians! Please note that the methods of your pre-election work will later be transformed into the methods of your activities in the Verkhovna Rada and local councils. The path of mutual insults and violations of the law at the pre-election stage will not contribute to your partnership and productive work in the newly elected Legislative and representative bodies, and therefore will not lead to the successful development of the country in a democratic direction. Therefore, we urge you to adhere to the laws on elections and the Constitution of Ukraine in your pre-election activities. In turn, we assure you that public organizations have significant experience and knowledge of democratic, transparent,

legal and no less effective methods of working with voters, and sufficient potential to transfer it to your functionaries and activists.

To the media:

Journalists! There is no censorship, but the number of journalists who want to write the truth is decreasing. The elections will be interesting enough to write the truth about them.

To the international community:

We ask that a sufficient number of professional, impartial international observers be sent to the Ukrainian elections. Their presence and their reports will show the world our real successes.

We ask the leaders of world powers, through their speeches and visits to Ukraine, to support our people in their desire to hold another democratic, rather than scandalous, election.

Since the Ukrainian state is not yet ready to support the work of public organizations, please do not forget that the completion of democracy still requires your technical support.

And please don’t bother us with international black PR people.

The following joined the public initiative “Fair Elections”:

Chernihiv branch

All-Ukrainian public organization

“Committee of Voters of Ukraine”

/Solomakha O.M./

Chernihiv Public

Human Rights Protection Committee

/N.Romanova/

Chernihiv City Public Organization

“Northern Ukrainian Fund for Regional Revival”

/A. Stakh/