Civil Network OPORA has analyzed an undated list of candidates for members of the CEC. We have also investigated why there are 14 candidates for 13 vacant positions.

On 23 January, Petro Poroshenko has signed the submission on appointment of Central Election Commission members on the meeting with VRU Chairman Andrii Parubii. It was announced by the President's Press-service, without naming the candidates. Civil Network OPORA would like to present you a preliminary analysis of the renewed membership of the CEC.

The list of candidates for members of the CEC in submission of the President may be like this:

  • Basalaieva Alla Valentynivna, the “Vidrodzhennia Party” group of MPs
  • Bernatska Nataliia Ilarionivna, “People's Front”
  • Verbanskyi Mykhailo Heorhiiovych, “Solidarity” PPB
  • Yefremova Iryna Oleksiivna, “People's Front”
  • Zheltova Olha Mykolaivna, “Solidarity” PPB
  • Kustova Svitlana Mykolaivna, “Solidarity” PPB
  • Lotiuk Olha Stepanivna, “Solidarity” PPB
  • Plukar Vitalii Volodymyrovych, “Solidarity” PPB
  • Radchenko Yevhenii Volodymyrovych, Samopomich Union
  • Synatsia Nadiia Liubomyrivna (not certain, was included in the previous submission from the People's Front faction)
  • Slipachuk Tetiana Volodymyrivna (not certain, probably from the “Solidarity” PPB, as long as she was a member of competition committee for appointment of officials at the State Investigations Bureau, representing the President)
  • Shypilov Leontii Mykolaiovych, People's Front
  • Yuzkova Tetiana Leonidivna, the Radical Party

Who are they?

 Alla Basalaieva

Born in 1981.

Judge Darnytsia District Court in Kyiv (recommendation of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine as of 14 November 2011).

Was the Head of Department for Representation of CEC Interests in Courts at Legal Department of the Commission Secretariat.

 Nataliia Bernadska

(maiden surname Sevastianova) – the First Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine. Before this position she stood proxy for the Government in cases of the European Court of Human Rights. Ms. Bernadska is PhD candidate in legal science, and the expert in international legal human rights protection.

 Mykhailo Verbenskyi

Born in 1956.

Education: Finished the High Political School of the MIA in 1986 and the USSR Academy of the MIA in 1992. PhD candidate in political science.

Has been working at internal affairs since 1976. 1995-1997 – Deputy Head of the Legal Support Department – Head of the Departmental Legal Acts Drafting Office at the MIA of Ukraine. 1997-1998 – – Deputy Head of the Main Headquarters of the MIA of Ukraine – Head of the Legal Support Department. Since 1998 – First Deputy Head of the Main Headquarters of the MIA of Ukraine. Since June 2001 – Deputy Head of the State Department for Execution of Punishments of Ukraine.

Became the Head of the Main Headquarters of the MIA of Ukraine in 2005.

In March 2014, he was appointed to the position of Director of the MIA Department for Monitoring, Organization and Inspection.

Was a member of Expert Council on Human Rights and Reforming of the MIA  under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

 Iryna Yefremova

current MP

Born in 1959.

In 1988, she graduated H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University in specialty “Teacher of Russian Language and Literature”. In 2003, she graduated the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University in law specialty. In 2008, she gained the Master's degree in public administration in the Kharkiv Regional Institute of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine.

Yefremova had also worked as a Secretary of Court Sitting in Leninskyi Deistrict Court (city of Kharkiv), in a boarding school in the city of Zmiivka, in Zhemchuzhivska secondary school of Zmiivka raion, in Zmiivka Raion Executive Committee, and in Zmiivka Raion State Administration (Head of the Family and Youth Matters Department).

2002–2005 — Legal Advisor in the “Kredo” private law firm (Zmiivka raion).

2005–2010 — Head of the Pechenuhy Raion State Administration.

Since 2010 — Deputy Director of the Regional Policy Institute.

Member of Kharkiv Oblast Council of VI convocation. Member of the AUU Batkivshchyna.

In 2014 she had entered the Verkhovna Rada in party list of the People's Front faction under number 63.

 

 Olha Zheltova

Born in 1964. Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Committe on Judicial Policy and Justice of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of VIII convocation. Assistant to MP of Ukraine of IV convocation Yurii Kliuchkovskyi. Co-author of the draft Law #6531-2 on Amendments to the Law of Ukraine on Elections of People's Deputies of Ukraine of 28 April 2005.

 Svitlana Kustova

Born in 1979. Legal Advisor at the Moor and Partners Counselor Company LLC. Specializes in: civil law, election law and political process, constitutional law, tax law, court practices. Was MP candidate #145 in electoral list of the Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defense bloc in 30 September 2007 parliamentary elections. Was a proxy to the Petro Poroshenko Bloc party in 26 October 2014 early parliamentary elections in Ukraine. Was a voluntary assistant to MPs of IV – VIII convocations: Mykota Katerynchuk (IV-V convocations), Roman Zvarych (VI convocation), Petro Poroshenko (VIII convocation), and Iryna Friz (VIII convocation).

 Olha Lotiuk

Born in 1973. Education: Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, Legal Department. Defended PhD thesis in 1998 for PhD candidate in legal science. Since 2002 – Associate Professor of the Constitutional and Administrative Law Department at Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University. Specializes in constitutional law, and comparative constitutional law. Was voluntary assistant to MP of Ukraine of IV convocation Mykola Onyshchuk, representing the “For United Ukraine” bloc. Was nominated for MP of Ukraine in 2006 by the Nova Syla All-Ukrainian party (#2 in electoral list).

 Vitalii Plukar

Was born in 1986. Education: Defended PhD thesis in 2011 for PhD candidate in political science in Lviv State University of Internal Affairs. Head of Office for Monitoring of Local Authorities Activities and Support of their Law-making Initiatives, Local Self-Government and Decentralization Department at the Administration of the President of Ukraine. Was assistant (paid) to MP of Ukraine Valerii Karpuntsov, elected to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of VII convocation in the list of the Vitalii Klychko's UDAR party. 

 Yevhen Radchenko

Was born in 1973. Worked as an international observer, supervisor of the international observers group, consultant at election headquarters, supervisor of the legal advisors group at electoral headquarters. 1994 – 2004 – Deputy Head of the Board of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine. 2004 – 2005 – Electoral Programs Coordinator at American Bar Association (ABA/CEELI). 2005 – 2008 – Advisor in Electoral Matters and Administration to OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine. Development Director of the Internews-Ukraine NGO. Since 2009 – Venice Commission expert. Worked in elections in 14 countries. Was assistant to MP of Ukraine Volodymyr Stretovych in the IV convocation of the Verkhovna Rada. Co-authored the bill #2831-2 on Local Elections, which didn't receive enough voted on 18 June 2015. Co-authored the draft Law on Elections of People's Deputies of Ukraine #1068-2 as of 11 December 2014.

 Nadiia Synytsia

In 2003, she administered the “Infor-Metal” company, consulting on the mining and metallurgical market. Another job of Nadiia Synytsia was the bank “Clearing House”.

Since April 2014, she was the Deputy Minister of Ostap Semerak in the Cabinet of Ministers.

 Tetiana Slipachuk

1994 - 2004 - the Secretary General at the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 2004 - 2011 -  the partner at “Vasil Kisil & Partners” legal firm; managing the practices in international trade and international arbitration. Since 2011 - today - the partner at “Sayenko Kharenko” legal firm, managing the practices in international trade and international arbitration.

 Leontii Shypilov

Was born in 1977. Education: Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University. Defended PhD thesis in 2004. Associate Professor of the International Law and Special Legal Disciplines Department at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy. Assistant to MP of Ukraine of VIII convocation Mykola Velychkovych (fixed-term labor contract, holding of more than one office).
Adviser to the First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Was #134 candidate in electoral list of the Vitalii Klychko's UDAR party in 2012 Parliamentary elections.

 Tetiana Yuzkovska

current MP

Born in 1963.

Graduated the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University in 1987.

1987 - 1994 - worked in Kyiv City Bar.

Since 1994 - Lawyer at the Attorney Association "Shevchenko Bar in Kyiv"

Ran for the MP seat in 2014, nominated by the Radical Party (#26 in party list). On 24 December 2015, she was elected as MP of Ukraine of VIII convocation.

Besides that, the President has also signed a resignation letter for CEC members, whose term of office has expired.

We remind that 12 of 15 members of the CEC have had their seven-year term of office expired yet on 1 June 2014, and one member – on 3 February 2017. On 1 April 2014, the newly-elected members of the Central Election Commission Kateryna Makhnitska (maiden name Bereziuk) and Oleh Didenko took an oath in the Parliament.

The data used for this material are public but not official. We have also appealed the President of Ukraine asking the list of individuals, included in the submission. Stay tuned.