Having lost the Parliamentary elections in Khmelnytsk oblast by party lists, the party in power failed to bring to the Verkhovna Rada at least one single-member candidate which didn't repudiate the Party of Regions during the election campaign. Receiving in two times less votes than All-Ukrainian Union Fatherland and in three and a half less than the Fatherland, UDAR and Svoboda together – is a statistics which calls the reason of keeping ruling positions by representatives of the Regions in question

However, the Head of Khmelnytsk Oblast State Administration is satisfied by positive dynamics. "I'm satisfied by the result, as long as for the first time in Khmelnytsk oblast the Party of Regions has got 120 thousands of votes. It's the best result among the western regions", – Vasyl Yadukha compared this year statistics with the previous election campaigns and with the adjacent administrative units of the country. Still, it's not clear why the regional leader of the Regions appreciate "his" 18.7% more than 20.8% of the votes given to the PR in Chernivtsi oblast, or "his" 120 thousands of votes than 144 thousands in Zakarpattia.

Besides that, in a region which has around 30 thousands members of the Party of Regions, being satisfied with such success – is similar to accepting the role of "couch" party (i.e. supported only by families of its members). Thus, together with the discussion of voting results, they talk about people who must take responsibility for the electoral fiasco. Besides the head of Khmelnytsk Rayonal state administration (RSA) Viktor Kolishchak, which stood as an MP candidate in single-mandate election district #188 (http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vnd2012/wp024pt001f01=900pid100=68pf7331=188.html), the Head of Krasyliv RSA Perto Arseniuk and the Head of Iziaslav RSA Tetiana Vlasiuk are also under the discussion. By the way, these two rayons are the half of the election district #189 (http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vnd2012/wp024pt001f01=900pid100=68pf7331=189.html) which is famous for its rough confrontation during the submission and processing of protocols in the DEC.

While an MP candidate Mr. Kolishchak openly confronts with chairmen in the oblast and publicly charged them with using administrative resource and preparation of falsifications, the Governor Deputy Head Lidiia Berhadska says that the talks about two others is provocation. Sometime later, the press-service of oblast branch of All-Ukrainian Union Svoboda has spread information about panicky behavior of Petro Arseniuk. "After receiving information that 100% of protocols with wet stamps in district #189 were processed and Ihor Sabii from Svoboda party has won, the Head of Krasyliv RSA panicked. The official roughly demanded from village heads to explain why they failed to secure the victory for a candidate from the Party of Regions."

"While demanding from the law enforcement to give assessment to the fact of pressure made by the head of RSA upon village heads, The Svoboda party refuses to recognize its activities as a pressure upon the District commission, when a group of supporters from Ternopil, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk came to Krasyliv, – stated the MP candidate nominated by party lists of the Party of Regions Liliia Bernadska. – Members of the DEC were openly threatened, and the decision of the Commission not to let Vitalii Oluiko re-count ballots from nine polling stations in Netishyn, which were transported to Krasyliv nearly forty hours, was obviously motivated by this pressure.

However, a member of the People's Party Vasyl Shuliak, which took the fourth place in this district, insists on the legitimate victory of Ihor Sabii (Svoboda party) over Vitalii Oluiko (the Party of Regions). His election headquarters was conducting observation in all 293 polling stations of the district. Having no reasons to insist on his victory, the former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of USSR explains his post-election anxiety by a desire to resist impudent distortion of real voting results. "I can assert an indubitable victory of Ihor Sabii, – he said during the press-conference in Khmelnytsk. – We have received protocols with wet stamps from all polling stations, and the counting of votes showed that Ihor Sabii received the absolute majority of votes." The margin of 743 votes between him and Vitalii Oluiko is similar to those calculated in the election headquarters during the first night after the Election Day.

Ihor Sabii, leader of oblast branch of All-Ukrainian Union Svoboda, gave a simple explanation to their loud actions: "We protect every vote of our electorate. Who will become the MP of Ukraine – Sabii or Oluiko – is not what we are taking about. The people need to regain a belief that something depends on them." After all, the former member of the People's Party and current member of the Party of Regions Vitalii Oluiko has put up with the fact that 17 766 votes he received is not enough for receiving the MP mandate for the second time and published the following: "It's a pity that nowadays the victory in Ukraine is gained by any possible methods, according to the principle "Success is never blamed", – states the defeated. – I don't want to receive a deputy mandate at any cost."

For comment, please contact:
Nataliia Shmurikova
Coordinator of Parliamentary observation campaign in Khmelnytsk oblast
063 647 76 45
Mykhailo Tsymbaliuk
Press-secretary of Parliamentary observation campaign in Khmelnytsk oblast
096 565 68 79