UCC/CUF Opens Election Observer Mission Office in Ukraine

Kyiv -  The Chair of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF), Bohdan Onyschuk, Q.C., opened their Election Observer Mission Office on July 12 in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine [for the fall parliamentary elections] with a reception attended by some 35 invited guests, including representatives of the Canadian and other embassies, over 20 international NGOs, and major civil society groups and NGOs from Ukraine, including Chesno, Committee of Voters of Ukraine, OPORA, Kharkiv Human Rights Monitoring Group, and the Committee for the Defence of Democracy in Ukraine.

Canada’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Troy Lulashnyk, warmly welcomed the Mission, indicating that Canada as well would be sending a large observer corps. Member of Parliament Bob Dechert brought greetings from the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, and from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird. The CUF Chair introduced Derek Fraser, Canada’s former Ambassador to Ukraine and introduced introduced CUF’s Head of the Election Observer Mission to Ukraine’s Parliamentary Elections to the Verkhovna Rada, October 28, 2012.

“We are very pleased that the Government of Canada has paid close attention to the democratic developments in Ukraine. We also look forward to working with the many NGOs who have pledged their cooperation with the UCC/CUF Mission. Together, we will monitor the election campaign with the goal of ensuring a free, fair and transparent process for the citizens of Ukraine,” said Fraser.

[UCC/CUF Long Term Observer teams began to be deployed to Ukraine in late July and August.]

The first report of CUF’s Election Observer Mission entitled Gerrymandering of Single-Mandate Districts in Ukraine is available on the Ukrainian Canadian Congress website (www.ucc.ca), to be followed by other analyses of the electoral campaign, made on the basis of Ukraine’s international commitments.

PHOTO

L-R: Head of Mission Derek Fraser, Bob Dechert M.P., Ambassador Troy Lulashnyk, Bohdan Onyschuk Q.C.