Council of Europe Secretary General Praises Ukraine's Landmark Electoral Reforms

KYIV, Ukraine, September 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The Council of Europe's Secretary General praised Ukraine's government for its "very ambitious" new electoral law. Thorbjorn Jagland said the new law would be "very important," paving the way to "free and fair" elections to be held in the country on October 28^th.

Speaking to the press on Monday, Mr. Jagland said: "I'm very glad to see that a very ambitious plan is being implemented very well."

The Council of Europe is providing assistance to Ukraine in implementing the new electoral law, which was written with the advice of European Union officials.

The electoral reforms, which were approved by 80 percent of the Ukrainian parliament last year, will be used nationally for the first time at the election in October.

The new law received support not only from the governing coalition but also from the opposition party led by Yulia Tymoschenko, which also voted in favor.

Mr. Jagland stressed the importance of the bi-partisan support for the reforms, which ensure that all parties get free and fair access to the national media during the campaign period.

"It is very important that the government party and the opposition recognize the same rules. The very important precondition that the elections are free and fair is that everybody has the same access to the media," Mr Jagland said.

He noted the problem of having one of the main opposition leaders imprisoned but said regardless, "It is very important that the elections are being held and they are free and fair."

The Government of President Viktor Yanukovych has been the driving force behind the electoral reform process, which extends way beyond this legislative package. For the first time, the October 28^th poll will involve the nation's 30,000 polling stations being monitored by webcams to further ensure transparency.

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation will also oversee an electoral observer mission that will oversee not just the legitimacy of the poll but the campaign period as well - a process which also involves the Council of Europe. On this basis, Mr Jagland made a direct plea to the media.

"I would like to appeal to the media to use their right and obligation to cover the election campaign in a free and fair manner," he said.

The new legislation includes a new mixed voting system with half of deputies elected under party lists and half under simple-majority constituencies. The option of "vote against all" will be removed from ballot papers and all election campaigns will be limited to 90 days.

It also ends the arbitrary registration of voters on Election Day and prohibits parties from forming blocs.