The Civil Network OPORA is a non-partisan nationwide network of activists and civic organizations.
OPORA operates with the aim of developing democracy and civil society in Ukraine by developing effective mechanisms for public control over the actions of the authorities.
In August 2007, OPORA began implementing the Program of long-term observation of the early elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In Volyn, the Program is implemented in partnership with the Volyn Oblast Youth Civic Organization "Association of Young Reformers (AMoRe)".
The report was prepared by a group of long-term observers who worked in all territorial electoral districts of the Volyn region.
BASED ON THE OBSERVATION RESULTS, OPORA STATES:
1. District election commissions work without serious violations and obstacles. During the observation, only minor violations in their work were recorded. At the same time, concerns are raised by problems with material and technical support, which are observed in almost every commission.
2. Based on the results of communication and analysis of the personal composition of the DECs, it was concluded that these people are generally capable of performing the duties assigned to them, although OPORA predicts that problems related to the organization of work may arise in many commissions. According to observers' assessments, only half of the DEC members have the necessary work experience and level of training. Not all commission members have yet taken the oath. At the same time, during the reporting period, changes in composition occurred in 2 commissions.
3. OPORA and AMoRe are concerned about recorded facts of conflict situations between commission members from the opposition and the coalition. As voting day approaches, their number will increase, as will the influence on individual DEC members by the parties and blocs that proposed them to the commission composition, which could cause blocking of DEC work.
4. Working groups on voter list accounting have already done significant work. On August 30, they received information about Ukrainian citizens from the relevant authorities. Observers recorded minor violations during this procedure. According to our forecast, the activity of verifying and clarifying voter lists in the Volyn region will be able to partially make the lists as of September 30, 2007 qualitatively better than those that were in the elections of March 26, 2006.
5. During the observation, a number of examples of overt or covert campaigning by officials were recorded. These cases are already becoming more widespread. The number of officials participating in the elections who have gone on vacation is not small.
6. The campaign is proceeding freely, but isolated facts of obstruction of its conduct were recorded. A number of violations during campaigning by election process subjects were also recorded. Mainly, they are related to the distribution of materials without imprint data, failure to indicate actual print runs, provision of free goods or services, involvement of minors in campaigning, etc. Examples of the use of dirty technologies and "black PR" were not numerous and mainly had local specifics.
Work of DECs
During the observation, no violations in the work of commissions that could significantly affect the election process were recorded. During the time after the formation of DECs (August 13), at least three sessions were held in all commissions.
OPORA and AMoRe observers recorded a number of problems hindering the work of DECs, namely insufficient material and technical support of commissions, party conflicts between commission members, and insufficient experience in relevant work.
– material and technical support
• In DEC No. 22, problems arose with the provision of telephone communication and Internet access. The DEC was required to pay for "Ukrtelecom" services for laying telephone lines to the commission premises. Only after repeated appeals by the commission leadership to local state administrations was this issue resolved. DECs No. 21 and 22 complain about the poor quality of office equipment, in particular old copiers. Not all commissions were satisfied with their premises; in particular, DEC No. 23 repeatedly appealed to the Lutsk City Executive Committee to replace the premises, and as a result, an agreement was reached for the DEC to work on election day at last year's address. For a long time, all commissions lacked bulletin boards and DEC decision boards. Therefore, the leadership of some commissions had to show initiative. For example, the head of DEC No. 22 – he got out of the situation by making a board from a wall stand. There are also problems in attracting relevant specialists – accountants, operators, lawyers – to work in commissions. This is due to the fact that the approved budgets for commission work are very small, and people do not want to work for a meager salary.
– changes in the composition and leadership of DECs
• During the reporting period, changes in composition occurred in 2 commissions: in DEC No. 22 – the secretary was replaced, in DEC No. 23 – a commission member was replaced. Among the reasons for refusing to work in the commission are the inability to combine the performance of relevant duties with the main workplace, family circumstances, large volumes of work for commission members, and lack of experience in similar work. Commission members were reluctant to agree to work on a full-time basis, in particular due to insignificant funding for the work of commission members (salaries up to UAH 600 excluding taxes). This could become grounds for bribery of DEC members or lead to poor-quality performance of powers. OPORA predicts that changes in DEC composition may continue. Not all commission members have yet taken the oath (in particular, DEC No. 22).
– level of training of DEC members
• Based on the results of communication with commission members, observers concluded that these people are generally capable of performing the duties assigned to them, although OPORA and AMoRe predict that problems related to the organization of work may arise in some commissions. According to observers' assessments, only half of DEC members have the necessary work experience and level of training. For example, the situation is difficult in DEC No. 23, where the commission head does not have the experience for quality organization of commission work, so the deputy head does this for him. A positive aspect is the participation of most commission members in seminars organized within the framework of the project "Promoting the Organization of Elections in Ukraine II".
– internal situation in DECs
• OPORA and AMoRe observers are concerned about facts of disputes and conflicts between members of individual DECs representing different political forces. Mostly, they arise on political grounds. These examples are still not numerous, but OPORA predicts that their number will increase as voting day approaches. Such facts were recorded in DEC No. 20, No. 23, No. 26.
Voter lists
Work on verification and clarification of voter lists by the relevant working groups has been ongoing for a long time. At the same time, the tight deadlines for their work, insufficient staffing, and problems with material and technical support do not allow for the preparation of 100% quality lists. However, in the Volyn region, according to observers, they will be better than those that were in the elections of March 26.
On August 30, working groups on voter accounting received information about citizens who need to be included in or excluded from voter lists from the relevant state authorities and local self-government bodies. Most of them coped with this task on time. However, OPORA observers recorded isolated cases of violation of legal requirements regarding the timeliness and quality of this information. Thus, the Lutsk city working group on voter accounting did not receive timely information about voters from two military units located in the city. Moreover, the heads of these units did not know that they had to submit such information. The Kovel city civil registry office also failed to submit information to the working group on time, and not all information was received on time by the Horokhiv and Lokachyn district working groups on voter accounting. Facts were also discovered when relevant institutions submitted information about voters in a format that is not recognized by the working groups' software, i.e., instead of Excel format, they submitted in Word format, so this information was returned to them for revision (i.e., conversion to another format). The small staffing of working groups on accounting and verification of voter lists, as well as insufficient financial support for their work, remain a problem that will affect the quality of voter lists. Most members of working groups work in them part-time and simultaneously perform their main duties at the workplace. In fact, such work is not financially incentivized in any way. OPORA welcomes the active work on verification and clarification of lists in the city of Lutsk. Here, at the initiative of the working group, employees of building committees, teachers, and other employees of city services conduct door-to-door visits (in multi-story buildings) and clarify information about who lives in the apartments. Then the received information is analyzed by working group members and additionally clarified with the relevant institutions (address bureau, inventory bureau) regarding voters about whom doubts arose. Given the tight deadlines for preparing voter lists, OPORA expresses concern that in the September 30 elections, errors in voter lists related to students of educational institutions who have just enrolled in studies or have just registered in dormitories may be especially widespread.
Participation of officials in elections
The participation of officials in the election campaign, their conduct of overt or covert campaigning, including during working hours and with the use of state resources, participation in events organized by parties and blocs, political statements, etc., during the reporting period became more widespread. OPORA insists that officials of local self-government and executive authorities must go on vacation during the election campaign or refrain from interfering in the election process and demand this from their subordinates. Unfortunately, at this stage of the campaign, not all officials who are candidates for People's Deputies of Ukraine or work in pre-election headquarters have done this. For example, candidates for People's Deputies of Ukraine who are still working: Deputy Head of the Volyn Oblast Council Banada Volodymyr Vyacheslavovych – Bloc "NU-NS", representative in the Volyn region of the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting Pasaman Mykola Mykolayovych – Bloc "NU-NS", Deputy Head of the Volyn Oblast State Administration Dmytruk Vasyl Pavlovych – Lytvyn Bloc). At the same time, we welcome the decision of district state administration heads who went on vacation from the end of August. Facts of covert campaigning can be considered cases when Lutsk city mayor Bohdan Shyba in his speeches showed sympathies for one of the political forces. Thus, within the framework of solemn events on the occasion of Independence Day and Lutsk City Day on August 24, during a festive assembly in the city center, in his greeting speech he quoted Yulia Tymoshenko's words about the national idea, and during a festive concert in one of the city's residential districts, he boasted that one of the city's park alleys was cleaned up by BYuT representatives, who at that time were at the concert in T-shirts and bandanas. He made these statements on August 24, when it was an official day off. However, we consider this indirect campaigning, since he spoke as city mayor, i.e., used his official position. On August 29, 2007, in the city of Kovel, at the "Prosvita" People's House, during the August conference of pedagogical workers of the Kovel district, in which the head of the Volyn Oblast Council A. Hrytsiuk participated (who is officially on vacation). In his speech, he allowed campaign statements and positively assessed the BYuT pre-election program. Hrytsiuk A.P. presented certificates to education workers (only BYuT supporters). In the text of the awards, in particular, it was stated "for significant contribution to the activities of the VO "Batkivshchyna", and signed "Head of the Oblast Council A. Hrytsiuk". In the city of Lutsk on September 1, in some schools, students were given notebooks and diaries with the image of Yu. Tymoshenko. This was done by teachers during class in the classroom. Also in the village of Krupa, Lutsk district, at the opening of the educational and rehabilitation center, candidate for deputy KyryLchuk Ye.I. (head of the oblast headquarters of BYuT) also gave the school notebooks, diaries, and other gifts from Yu. Tymoshenko.
Main features of conducting pre-election campaigning 1. In general, according to OPORA observation results, the campaign is proceeding freely and with only minor obstacles. Mostly, all parties and blocs have equal opportunities when working with voters. 2. At the same time, observers recorded a number of violations during the distribution of campaign materials by election process subjects. Mainly, they are related to the distribution of materials without imprint data, failure to indicate actual print runs, provision of free goods or services, etc. 3. OPORA observers recorded the involvement of minors in campaign events (campaigning in tents, distribution of materials, participation in mass events, etc.). Such cases were recorded virtually across all political forces. 4. During the reporting period, the most active campaign was conducted by BYuT, the NU-NS bloc, the Party of Regions, VO "Svoboda", the CPU, and the Lytvyn bloc. Other political forces have not yet begun large-scale pre-election campaigning. The leaders of these political forces actively use trips around the region and meetings with voters. In particular, Volyn was visited by leaders and other candidates for deputies from BYuT, the NU-NS bloc, VO "Svoboda", and the Lytvyn bloc. These parties also actively use representatives of the regional party elite during meetings with voters. 5. The main means used in campaigning are placement of materials in the media, outdoor advertising, and distribution of campaign materials in tents. Recently, parties have begun to more actively use such forms as meetings with voters. 6. Examples of "black PR" during the reporting period were not numerous and are mainly of a local nature.
THUS, BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE MONITORING, OPORA RECOMMENDS:
1. Officials of local self-government and executive authorities during the election campaign should go on vacation or refrain from interfering in the election process and demand this from their subordinates.
2. Authorities – to resolve in a short time the issue of material and technical support for DEC work in those commissions where such problems arise.
3. Parties and blocs – to maximally distribute full biographies of candidates for deputies among voters. To present in the region their possible representatives in the Verkhovna Rada and announce their action plan for the region in case of being elected as People's Deputies.
4. Civic organizations, political parties, mass media, authorities – to conduct the broadest possible information campaign among voters and call on them to check themselves in voter lists, as well as to begin a campaign to increase voter turnout at polling stations on voting day.
5. Members of election commissions – to distance themselves from political conflicts and work in a spirit of consensus, thus increasing the effectiveness of DEC work and public trust in the election process.
6. Political parties and blocs that had factions in the Verkhovna Rada of the V convocation – to strengthen work on recruiting and training members of precinct election commissions. To ensure timely submission of candidates for PEC work at all polling stations, the deadline for which expires on September 9.
7. Election process subjects – to refrain from using minors during pre-election campaigning. Not to resort during campaigning to actions that contradict current legislation (distribution of materials without imprint data, indication of understated print runs, etc.).