The upcoming elections will be a test for the state of Ukraine and for Ukrainian society – whether we are capable of finally holding normal democratic elections, and not like all the previous ones. Recent scandals in the Ukrainian government and in the political establishment again call into question whether we will be able to pass this test with honor. Many of the best representatives of civil society are now working fruitfully in government bodies. However, the role of public organizations in the next election campaign must become decisive. Unfortunately, since the last elections we have not seen real changes in the relations between the state and civil society, in the environment of public organizations itself. However, it is within our power to make democratic elections in Ukraine an established tradition, and not a pleasant surprise. We, the public organizations Committee of Voters of Ukraine, the "Democratic Initiatives" Foundation, the "Europe XXI" Foundation, "Internews-Ukraine", the "Community" Foundation, the "Equal Opportunities" Committee/"Common Space" Association, proclaim the public initiative "Clean Elections" with the aim of activating civil society to promote the holding of democratic elections to the Verkhovna Rada and local councils in 2006. We see the following challenges and problems in the upcoming elections: Lack of intra-party democracy in most Ukrainian parties, which may lead to a number of conflict situations during the formation of election lists. Lack of objective information about the subjects of the election process, the procedures for forming election lists and the specifics of the new electoral system. The arrival of a large number of new inexperienced workers to lower-level election commissions. The challenge of holding elections to local government bodies on a proportional basis in conditions of insufficient readiness for this on the part of both political parties and voters. The absence of public broadcasting and of real good will on the part of the state leadership for its rapid creation, the emergence of the first shoots of censorship and manipulation of information in the mass media. The loss of interest in monitoring Ukrainian elections on the part of authoritative international organizations. Attempts to discredit Ukrainian elections by non-authoritative international and foreign organizations. Harsh political competition, which may lead to the use of illegal methods of political struggle. This may become especially relevant in local elections. Massive wars of kompromat, fake sociological ratings, undermining the authority of political leaders and elections in general. To resolve or mitigate these problems, we plan to conduct a series of educational, mobilization, monitoring and training programs. We call on all segments of Ukrainian society to join these processes and to prove that Ukrainians can not only carry out successful peaceful revolutions, but are also capable of holding clean elections without quotation marks. To public organizations: Colleagues! Enough resting on the laurels of the successes of the 2004 model! We need to finish off the election problems that keep cropping up like relapses and to treat the 2006 elections no less seriously than the previous ones. Not everyone can go into candidates; someone needs to engage in independent work too; let us self-organize and work. To citizens: Fellow compatriots! We draw your attention to the importance of an active position of each of you during the upcoming elections. After all, your choice is not a "tick" next to the name of a party on the ballot. It is a step into your future and the future of your children, and elections are not only visiting a polling station on voting day, but also defending your choice. Let us already now work honestly and actively in election commissions, public organizations, at our workplaces, so that we do not have to go to the Maidan again. To the authorities: Dear servants of the people! You hold positions of power thanks to the courage of your fellow compatriots; you are on the material support of all the citizens of the country. So respect their desire to live in a democratic state in which honest officials are in power and adhere to the laws in their work. Please do not destroy the hopes placed in you and do not disappoint your voters. Remember the Maidan. For our part, we declare our readiness to cooperate with government bodies in conveying and explaining to voters and to the authorities themselves its democratic initiatives, and in broad education among citizens of the principles of election legislation. We ask the state not to forget that the completion of democracy still requires technical and financial support. To the parties: Politicians! Consider that the methods of your pre-election work are transformed subsequently into the methods of your activity in the Verkhovna Rada and local councils. A path of mutual grievances and violations of the law at the election stage will not contribute to partnership and productive work in the newly elected legislative and representative bodies, and therefore will not bring about the successful development of the country in a democratic direction. So we call on you to adhere in your pre-election activity to the election laws and the Constitution of Ukraine. In turn, we assure you that public organizations possess significant experience and knowledge of democratic, transparent, legal and therefore no less effective methods of working with voters, and sufficient potential to pass it on to your functionaries and activists. To the mass media: Journalists! There is no censorship yet, 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. We call on you to most strictly adhere in your work to the standards of the journalistic profession, and not to confuse informing with PR activity. To the international community: We ask you to send a sufficient number of professional and unbiased international observers to the Ukrainian elections. Their presence and their reports will show the world our real successes in holding elections. We ask the leaders of world states, through their statements and visits to Ukraine, to support our people in their aspiration to hold the next democratic, and not scandalous, elections. And we ask international black PR specialists not to bother us. Ihor Popov Taras Petriv Kostiantyn Kvurt Inna Pidluska Ilko Kucheriv Oleksandr Chekmyshev