Remarks by Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a teleconference regarding the elections, October 23, 2014

I greet the representatives of mass media, heads of regional state administrations, heads of regional departments of the Ministry of Interior, Security Service of Ukraine, the leadership of the CEC, our public organizations engaged in monitoring the elections! Also I would like to congratulate a representative of the OSCE election observation mission.

Dear colleagues! Today we have to clearly discuss an issue of fair, transparent and democratic parliamentary elections in Ukraine.

An electoral process is not only the election day. Basically the electoral process includes the preparation for voting, political campaigning, an opportunity for everyone to speak freely and honestly through the TV channels, the prohibition of buying up and selling votes. Such a law was submitted by the Government and adopted by the Parliament, and today the law imposing criminal liability for buying up the votes has come in effect today.

Fair and transparent elections imply correct counting of votes and summarizing the voting results.

I would like us today at our teleconference call to hold a very clear and practical work concerning the completion of the electoral process, the polling, and then counting ballots and tally.

Reports of speakers on the topic.

I would like to summarize the reports.

Dear heads of administrations, representatives of public organizations, international observation missions, dear Ukrainians!

Four months ago we had the democratic, fair and transparent elections of the President of Ukraine. It is difficult to conduct elections in the country, which suffers from the military aggression of the Russian Federation. It is clear that attempts to destabilize the situation will continue and will be provoked by the Russian side. They failed to do this during the presidential race, although such attempts were repeated, however, they haven’t forgone their plans.

Therefore, I would like to start instructions into holding of the elections just from security issues. Security at polling stations, the safety of the citizens of Ukraine who go to the polling stations in the areas adjacent to the ATO areas and all over the country.

A special attention to particular gatherings, cities with the likelihood of whether terrorist attacks or attacks that disrupt the electoral process.

The Ministry of Interior, the Security Service, the National Guard, Ministry of Defence are to use all forces and means to ensure the protection of public order, the presence of militiamen at polling stations; full coordination of all law enforcement agencies, in order to assure each person who goes to vote, or each person being a member of the electoral commission of the fact their lives aren’t exposed to danger and their lives are protected by the Ukrainian law enforcement agents.

Complete mobilization of the entire law enforcement system aimed at prevention any disruption of the electoral process and any attempts to commit terrorist acts during the polling process.

I would like to single out the territories adjacent to the ATO area. Minister of Interior Arsen Borysovych, Defence Minister and the Security Service of Ukraine, protection and control over the security situation should be performed by the active officers, personnel of the Ministry of Interior, National Guard, other military units, which by law are obliged to perform their function to ensure the security of citizens.

Whoever just thinks illegally, with holding weapon, about a possibility to disrupt the electoral process, ought to be detained and prosecuted. Any attempts to destabilize the situation must receive strict response within the limits of the legislation. Any choice cannot be made as a target of a gun, any choice is made in the ballot sheet and through manifestation of the free will. It was Lincoln who said that the ballot is stronger than the bullet.

I ask the Minister of Internal Affairs to give an immediate order, I now appeal to the heads of regional departments of Internal Affairs, the law has become valid today, the law imposing criminal liability for buying up the votes, for the selling of the votes, for the forgery of election documents, for attacks on polling stations. That is, the Law "On amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine related to strengthening responsibility for violating citizens' electoral rights" has came in effect today.

Throughout two days I ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs to have press conferences and provide with a clear explanation of the law, that anyone, regardless of whether he advocates the ruling party or the opposition party, of whether he is involved into armed groups activity, anyone will be prosecuted for violation of this law.

Concerning financial maintenance. The Ministry of Finance, it is good that we have now completed funding, ensured all the funds to be paid to the members of the commission, and to the Central Election Commission as well to cover all their accounts, which prove necessary for the fair and transparent electoral process.

Regarding the Ministry of Coal Industry and Energy, Yurii Vasylyovych, verify once again at your Anti-crisis energy headquarters [meeting – ed.], to prevent us from accidental blackouts just at the moment when it is time to count the votes. This is also a security issue and an issue of credibility of the elections.

I ask the CEC, as soon as possible, to provide with relevant information about the polling stations operating in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The preliminary data in possession of the CEC contains that over half of the constituencies in Donetsk and Luhansk regions will be participating in the polling. Now, it is viewed as important to finally precise this number for the citizens of Ukraine, so that the Ukrainian community knew where the elections are held, and where they are impossible.

I want to address the leaders of regional state administrations, the entire law enforcement system: to provide assistance to international observers. The recognition of the fairness and transparency of the elections in Ukraine is the recognition that we haven’t just signed an Association Agreement with the EU on paper, but we actually prove that Ukraine is a democratic state. The elections, like any elections, are crucial as the people choose those who bear responsibility for the fate of the country in the challenging period and in the very complex scenario. The electoral process is the best way to hold a political or national lustration. People should exercise the right to vote freely. Those elected will have the right to represent Ukrainians in the newly elected Parliament, those will have the right to form a new Government and those will bear the greatest responsibility for the future of the state.

Moreover, I ask the entire leadership of the country to cooperate fully with the public organizations involved into election observation process. Arsen Borysovych, your idea of the information centre within the Ministry of Interior is fully supported. Each violation that emerges should receive an immediate response of the law enforcement system and be spread in media concerning what has been done, who was detained and whether everything has been made to avoid relevant offences in the future.

Therefore, dear colleagues, we have survived a revolution, have already passed the presidential elections, now we are affected by the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, we have another challenge which is the parliamentary elections to shape a new Parliament and a new Cabinet of Ministers. People should have the right to vote, while the country - to get a new Parliament and a new Government. And it is our responsibility to protect the constitutional rights and guarantees of Ukrainian citizens.

Hence, honesty, transparency, security and ballot results are the tasks that are set forth in front of each leader of regional and district state administrations, of law enforcement agencies, of special services and the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

I ask in real-time mode during the electoral process, the Government has appointed responsible staff, to work for the sake of fair elections, a new Parliament and Ukraine.

Thank you for your attention.