Another Step to Isolation

After the contested election victory of the Party of Regions, Ukraine will feel increasingly alone and abandoned by the West.

David Kramer: We’ve been talking about carrots for too long. Carrots don’t work. It’s time to have a serious conversation

David Kramer, president of Freedom House, told The Ukrainian Week about sanctions as a necessary step similar to measures against Russia

Steven Pifer: The West now views Ukraine as a country that has gone off the democratic track

Steven Pifer, long-time diplomat and US Ambassador to Ukraine in 1998-2000, has been known for reserved comments on the Ukrainian government. However, in his latest interview for The Ukrainian Week, Mr. Pifer sharply criticized the backslide on democracy in Ukraine and outlined the impact the October parliamentary election might have on the Ukrainian government’s future relationship with the West.

Time for a Tymoshenko-Lutsenko Bill?

US might use the Magnitsky Act to apply sanctions against officials that violate human rights in other countries, including those involved in the persecution of opposition leaders in Ukraine.

Lateral Transfers in Law Enforcement

Personnel rotations began at Ukrainian law enforcement agencies after the election.

A New Reality

The protest near the CEC showed that the opposition is not capable of building effective strategies to counteract the government, at least for the time being. It lacks coordination and well thought out joint actions.

Separate Yanukovych from Ukraine

European officials come to realize that there should be a separation between the Yanukovych regime and the majority of Ukrainians

ENEMO Observation Mission

ENEMO calls on authorities to preserve the will of voters at the tabulation process

The Distorted Will of the People

The absolute majority of Ukrainians voted against the Yanukovych regime, however, a propresidential majority will once more dominate parliament

The First-Past-the-Post-Element

The opposition won from 55% to 90% of votes in 16 oblasts out of 24 and Kyiv. However, the first-past-the-post component brought the Party of Regions and pro-government independent candidates victories in 57 out of 119 constituencies

Legitimizing the Regime

Why some international observers did not notice violations during the Ukrainian election

Stealing Ukraine: Vote by Vote

Indications of falsifications in the national election

After the Election Day

Most foreign observers and media noted serious violations and flaws of the Ukrainian parliamentary elections that may delay the prospect of the EU Association Agreement ratification for Ukraine

Prelimiary Reaction of the International Community to the 2012 Election in Ukraine

Dame Audrey Glover

on the lack of a level playing field in the Ukrainian election

International Observers: the Constituency Commission lacked transparency and seemed to have intentionally delayed the process of tabulation

Report on the monitoring of elections in district no. 95 (Irpin, Kyiv oblast) on 29.10.2012 by Alexander Beribes and Maren Hofius of the International Civil Society Election Observation Mission (CSEOM)

ENEMO: Ukraine parliamentary elections competitive but election process adversaly affected by serious violations

ENEMO notes regress compared to previous elections

ENEMO Observation Mission

ENEMO announces its observation plan of Election Day in Ukraine

“It doesn’t matter how the votes are cast, but how they’re counted.”

Joseph Stalin’s famous statement is as valid now as it was in 1923, as Ukraine’s obedient election commissions help to secure a victory for the ruling party.

Separating Ukraine from Yanukovych

The majority of Ukrainians remain part of European civilization. The West should support their resistance to the Russian model of development imposed on the nation by the current government

Andriy Mahera: “This election is reminiscent of 2004, because that was probably the only time when so much dirt was dished up”

The Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission speaks about “trading” with election commission members, counteracting the bribing of voters, the inefficiency of the cameras installed at polling stations, the prospects of international recognition of election results and attempts to besmirch his reputation

Is The First Test a Flop?

The fact that the two major opposition forces UDAR and the United Opposition have failed their first capacity test is now clear

Elections Luhansk-Style

Similar to the rest of Eastern and Southern Ukraine, the election campaign in Luhansk Oblast seems to offer the voters nothing more than a handful of pro-government parties

Pollsters Project Victory for the Opposition. What Will the Central Election Commission Say?

Low interest in politics and poor political awareness of many Ukrainians, multiplied by the opposition’s reluctance to overcome this problem in the last weeks before the election, is accompanied by the government’s consistent efforts to gain total freedom in the vote counting by election commissions under its control.

“I serve the Soviet Union”

The scale of the communists’ election campaign suggests the source of its financing could be the Kremlin, rather than dues paid by retired party members.

To Be or Not to Be

The prospects of the opposition in the forthcoming elections will hinge on its ability to coordinate its actions in the interests of society and overcome government provocations