OPORA's observer was forced to leave an event by candidates for members of the Chornomorsk City Council in Odessa oblast.

According to the observer, he received information from a public group of Chornomorsk residents on Viber, where residents were invited to visit the "New-Vasyuki Ethnopark" in the village of Molodizhne. The message promised adults barbecue and "antidepressants", and children - animators and treats. Those interested were invited to gather at 12:00 on October 4 at the public transport stop of the residential complex "Color Boulevard" in the city of Chornomorsk and use a free bus. The same message also offered free entertainment.

Thus, OPORA's observer reached the New Vasyuki Ethnopark on his own on 4 October to verify information about a possible campaign. At about 12:30 at the entrance to the Ethnopark, he noticed a bus in the parking lot with the stickers: "Free route. For the future. Vasilii Huliaiev cares for the people". A crowd of people with children stood near the entrance.

The observer noticed a man holding printed card like a ticket with symbols similar to those candidates from the For the Future political party use. OPORA's observer asked the man about the card, and received the answer that it was in fact a free ticket to the Ethnopark.

After that, the observer went to take a picture of the bus, but candidate to Chornomorsk City Council Vasyl Voloshynov, nominated by local cell of the For the Future political party, and registered by the Chornomorsk City Territorial Election Commission on 25 September, approached the observer and offered him money if he promises not to attend party events.

Once OPORA's observer refused the offer, the candidate, according to the observer, began to force the him to stop exercising his rights as an official observer. Besides that, two other men approached the observer: Andrii Levchenko, a candidate to the Black Sea City Council nominated by the local cell of the For the Future political party (registered by the Chornomorsk City TEC on 25 September), and another unidentified man. They started telling the observer to leave the event and not to take videos.

As a result, the observer reported the incident to the Primorskyi Police Department in Odessa, enlisting the signs of criminal offenses under Article 160(4) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (offering a monetary reward to an official observer exchanged for a promise to stop exercising his/her electoral rights under the Election Code) and Article 157(1) of the Criminal Code (forcing an official observer to terminate the exercise of the right to observe).

The observer was informed that these facts were not entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations as of 8 October, because the report was transferred to another police department, based on the location of the incident.

We would like to remind that according to Article 60(9) 60 of the Election Code of Ukraine, an official observer from a civic organization has the right to be present at meetings of candidates with voters, or of their proxies, representatives, authorized persons of parties (party cells), which are electoral subjects, as well as at pre-election meetings and rallies, and to take photos, video and audio recordings.

For comment, please contact:

Anastasiia Matviienko, Election Observation Coordinator at Civil Network OPORA in Odesa oblast

tel.: (048) 716 40 18

e-mail: [email protected]

 

Reference: OPORA's observation is aimed to provide impartial assessment of election administration and process, facilitate free and fair election, and prevent 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.