Activists of the headquarters of the candidate for Deputy at the parliamentary election Victor Kolishchak attacked the district election commission of the SED No.188, which is operating in the Palace of Arts for Children and Youth of Khmelnytskyi. Having lost to the winner only 469 votes (half per cent of those who voted), acting Head of Khmelnytskyi Raion State Administration shifted his resources from the opponents to the district election commission.

Having submitted many complaints to the district election commission that haven't been satisfied, Victor Kolishchak (the United Centre Party, self-nomination) found out that protocols were returned from the CEC for technical amendments. Although they didn't affect that result determined last week, the headquarters initiated the takeover of the equipment room, where central computers of the election commission of the single-member district No.188 are located.

“While I was away for a few minutes, the staff called me and informed that people broke into the equipment room and were taking away stamped protocols without any explanation,” said Head of the DEC Ihor Petrash (the party Rus United). “The document received from the CEC clearly indicates where and which technical mistakes we have to correct. According to the Law of Ukraine, we are entitled to correct these technical mistakes since they don't affect the election results.”

arrived with the officers. It is not the first time in the election campaign when he has to assess incidents involving the team of Viktor Kolishchak for compliance with the law.  According to the lawyer of the DEC No.188 Dmytro Habinet, such actions have created obstacles in work of the district commission. “If this fact is determined by law enforcement agencies and a court judgement they will face criminal liability. The most severe is imprisonment for the period of two years,” commented the lawyer.

When members of the district commission managed to gather for the meeting, Victor Kolishchak and around two hundred his supporters gathered in the lobby of the Children's Palace of Arts. They created inconveniences for children and teachers passing. Although they were informed of the judgement of the administrative court on the ban of peaceful assembly in the city on 12 November, they remained in the public building for two hours.

Their presence people explained unwillingly, and mainly to journalists of the 33 Channel controlled by Victor Kolishchak. Presence of Victor Kolishchak, who came back to work from holiday on the election day, near the building of the district commission in the city the Raion State Administration explained as follows, “The Head is at the meeting with people.”

For comment, please contact:
Nataliya Shmurikova
Coordinator of the Parliamentary Election Public Observation Campaign in Khmelnytskyi Oblast
063 647 76 45
Mykhailo Tsymbaliuk
Press Secretary of the Parliamentary Election Public Observation Campaign in Khmelnytskyi Oblast
096 565 68 79