After OPORA observers claimed that the protocols with the results of the Kharkiv mayoral election had been falsified, information attacks were launched against the organization.

Observers continue to compare data from the protocols they personally received at polling stations in Kharkiv, with protocols of territorial election commissions. The overall discrepancy is currently recorded for 572 votes shifted from other candidates in favor of a candidate Ihor Terekhov.

Discrepancies in the number of votes by districts:

Please, be reminded that on October, 31 OPORA observers worked at 220 polling stations in the city of Kharkiv.

Senior analyst of the Civil Network OPORA, Olexandr Klyuzhev, revealed that our priority is to investigate the findings of our observers from the polling stations, but we will also process other information.

"In parallel, we are studying other documents that are available to us as official observers in this election. For example, in the Kholodnohirsky district of Kharkiv, we compare the minutes of a meeting of a district territorial election commission, where documents were received from PECs, with the protocol of a district TEC on the voting results. There, we also find the discrepancy. We will keep you informed in detail about the findings of the comparison of these two documents. Now we prioritize those polling stations that have two comparable documents – the protocols of the precinct election commissions and the official protocols of the district territorial election commissions. I think, it is necessary to get a thoughtful response from the territorial election commission and a thoughtful response from all the subjects of the election process to such discrepancies. Because the arrangement of disinformation campaigns against observers will not contribute to legal assessment of this situation. No resources invested in fake information (which is also stated by certain NGOs) will change the provisions of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. We want the law enforcement agencies to investigate each incident, and the courts to give their legal assessment of this situation," – said he.

He also added: "All over the world, both in democratic and not very democratic parts, information attacks against observers are a form of counteraction to non-partisan observation and restriction of citizens' rights to monitor elections. So, whoever plays with these things, they must understand that they look uncivilized, among other things. We are all interested to have Kharkiv and the whole of Ukraine live in a civilized framework."

As the chairman of the board of the Civil Network OPORA, Olga Aivazovska, emphasized, the information attacks against OPORA and its individual representatives are aimed at distracting observers from the legal solution to the issue.

"Information attacks against the Civil Network OPORA and its individual representatives actually have one goal – to make us respond to them, and not to continue to act legitimately with the documents and facts collected by our colleagues in the city. We will not be distracted by this process, so it makes no sense and no need to waste your resources. The reputation of our organization has been built since 2007. And if the Kharkiv media think that when an organization performs its functions well, in strict adherence to the letter of the law, as non-partisan observers, they may accuse it of acting in the interests of a candidate, that means thay act within the paradigm of their own ideas of motives. Instead, our motivation is very simple – OPORA is an organization that has long monitored the election process, under high standards, and always impartial. Because the members of the organization live in the country where they plan to live on, and they want it to remain democratic," – added she.

We will remind, since the beginning of work of PECs on election day, OPORA observers at elections of the Kharkiv mayor have identified and verified 311 violations of electoral law and standards of democratic elections.