Ukraine: Yanukovych invites OSCE observers to monitor parliamentary elections | Ukrinform

President Viktor Yanukovych has invited observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to monitor Ukraine’s parliamentary elections on October 28, 2012, the president’s press office said in a statement. “Reaffirming my particular interest in holding fair and transparent elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in full compliance with the high international standards, I am addressing you with a request to send the official observation missions to Ukraine,” reads a letter of President Viktor Yanukovych’s to the Heads of State and Government of OSCE participating states.

Ukraine: Draft parliamentary election law can be made fairer, say ODIHR and the Venice Commission | ODHIR

Ukraine’s draft law on parliamentary elections could go further to ensure fully democratic elections, says a joint opinion by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission.

While the draft law incorporates a number of recommendations previously made by ODIHR and the Venice Commission, the joint opinion notes that the choice of a mixed majority-proportional representation system, the threshold the draft law sets for securing places in parliament, and the ban it establishes on electoral blocs were introduced by the parliamentary majority, and without consultation with other political parties and civil society.

Ukraine: Nine Oppositional Parties Agree To Meet On September 12 To Create Committee To Ensure Fair Elections | Ukranian News

Oppositional political forces Our Ukraine, Ukrainian People’s Party, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists, Svoboda All-Ukrainian Association party, Sobor Ukrainian Republican Party, Motherland defenders party, Ukrainian party, Republican Christian Party and the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine have agreed to meet on September 12 to create committee to ensure fair elections.

Respective agreement was reached at the working meeting of representatives of these political forces initiated by the Our Ukraine.

Ukraine: Kyiv unable to tell investors date of mayoral elections | Kyiv Post

Kyiv is unable to name the date of the next mayoral elections due to there having been amendments made to the Constitution of Ukraine, according to information in Kyiv’s bond issue prospectus

“The mayor of the city is elected by direct voting. Until 2011, the residents elected the mayor for a term of four years. But the amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine, which are envisaged by the law adopted on February 1, 2011, extended mayor’s service term to five years. The previous snap elections were held on May 25, 2008.

Ukraine: Yanukovych: New draft law on election to be submitted to Venice Commission | Ukraine News

Ukraine will forward the new draft law on elections to the Venice Commission, President Viktor Yanukovych said at a meeting with Director, Secretary of the European Commission for Democracy through Law Gianni Buquicchio, according to the Press office of President Viktor Yanukovych.

“Last year we adopted the Budget Code, Tax Code, and as I had promised, started working on the election law. To prepare it promptly, in advance, a large number of NGOs, political parties and international consultants are involved in this work,” Viktor Yanukovych said.

“A commission headed by Justice Minister Oleksandr Lavrynovych worked out a draft electoral law and we are ready to forward it to the Venice Commission,” he said.