The Central Election Commission has announced the start of election process for the local elections scheduled for 25 October 2020 with its Resolution #208 of 30 August 2020. The corresponding document, published on website of the CEC, says the CEC takes into consideration CEC's Resolution #161 of 8 August 2020 on the Impossibility to Hold the First Election of the Certain Village, Settlement, City Councils of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and the Corresponding Village, Settlement, and City Heads on 25 October 2020.

The election process was announced also in Donetsk oblast, with the exception of 10 territorial communities. Territorial communities where its impossible to hold local elections on 25 October 2020 are as follows:

  • Bakhmut raion - Svitlodar and Toretsk city territorial communities;
  • Volnovakha raion - Myrne and Olhyn settlement, as well as Volnovakha and Vuhledar city territorial communities;
  • Mariupol raion - Sartan Settlement Territorial Community;
  • Pokrovskyi raion - Ocheretyn settlement, as well as Avdiivka and Mariinka city territorial communities.

OPORA reminds that the CEC adopted Resolution №180 on 18 August 2020, requesting the authorized bodies - the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Luhansk and Donetsk oblast state administrations, the SBU, the National Police and the Joint Forces Operation Command, to tell whether it's possible to hold local elections on 25 October 2020 in the certain UTCs of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. OPORA has written earlier about peaceful rallies for the rights and freedoms of voters in Donetsk oblast.

Beside that, on 11 August 2020 some city councils in Donetsk oblast appealed on their extraordinary meetings to the President of Ukraine to restore the rights of voters in the certain territorial communities of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. In particular, Druzhkivka City Council addressed the relevant document to the President of Ukraine and the Head of Central Election Commission at an extraordinary meeting held on 11 August 2020. The appeal was approved by the Druzhkivka City Council of 7th convocation on its 76th session held on 11 August 2020. Sartana united territorial community of Mariupol raion also read an appeal to the President of Ukraine, the CEC and the Head of MCA in Donetsk oblast at its extraordinary meeting with a request to reconsider the ban on holding local elections in the community. The meeting was attended by members of the public, activists and members of 7 settlement councils. Most of them emphasized that holding local elections in Sartana UTC is extremely necessary for the population. Novotroitske Village Council of Volnovakha raion also addressed the President of Ukraine in an official letter of 12 August 2020. According to the letter, the villagers strongly request legislative regulation of local elections on 25 October 2020.

Photo from volnovakha.city

According to OPORA's Analyst Oleksandr Kliuzhev, "Citizens of frontline oblasts do not understand which criteria became a basis for cancelling local elections in their communities. If it's the distance from demarcation line, it is not unified. Some communities at the same distance from the demarcation line hold elections, others do not. Thus, citizen right for local self-government should be a top priority in this situation.  Local elections should be definitely held on territories free from serious security challenges and with a successful experience of holding elections in 2014, 2015 and 2019."

Nataliia Borovska, Election Observation Coordinator at Civil Network OPORA in Donetsk oblast says that security aspects are extremely important. "However, the opportunity to come and elect potential candidates is a constitutional right of every citizen of Ukraine living on the territory controlled by Ukrainian Government. Today, 10 communities in the Donetsk oblast are deprived of this right. This situation is especially confusing for citizens, since they had presidential and parliamentary campaigns last year." - Nataliia Borovska said.

OPORA calls on the competent authorities to make every effort to ensure the voting rights of citizens and create conditions for local communities to exercise the right for local self-government. However, the security factor must be studied and taken into account on the basis of unbiased and collegial analysis of the situation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

For comment, please contact:

Nataliia Borovska,Election Observation Coordinator at Civil Network OPORA in Donetsk oblast.

tel.: + 380 (50) 544 29 56

e-mail: [email protected]

Reference: OPORA's observation is aimed at impartial assessment of election administration, facilitation of free and fair election, and prevention of violations. Civil Network OPORA has been realizing a wide-scale observation of regular local elections, to be held on October 25. We have deployed 188 observers nationwide, and short-term observers will join them on the Election Day. OPORA also monitors the use of budget resources for indirect campaigning, and civic ombudsmen inspect polling premises in terms of accessibility, as well as protect voting rights of citizens.

Citizen observation of 25 October local elections on Ukraine-controlled territories in Donetsk oblast is realized by the Access Point NGO under the nationwide observation campaign of the Civil Network OPORA.