Presidential elections in Ukraine, scheduled to take place on May 25th, are to become a key factor for the normalization and stabilization of the situation in Ukraine.
Following the Revolution of Dignity, the Ukrainian Parliament appointed a new pro-democratic and pro-European government that replaced the former corrupt regime of Yanukovych, who had fled the country failing to silence with guns the mass protests of the people who no longer wanted to suffer his autocracy. Since then, Russia has been questioning the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian Government. It has been using these questions as a trumped up justification for its military aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, and backing the terrorists and separatists in eastern Ukraine. It has also stubbornly used the false pretense of protecting Russian speakers, without regard to their repeated message that they need no such protection.
Despite Russia’s attempts to disrupt the presidential elections as well as the unprecedented security challenges that Ukraine is facing, everything is ready for holding these elections in all parts of the country except Crimea, which remains under the Russian occupation, and small areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. At the same time, citizens of Ukraine who live in Crimea and those areas may cast their vote at other polling stations in mainland Ukraine. Throughout the country, measures have been taken to guarantee the security of polling stations and the integrity of the election process.
In this campaign, 21 candidates representing all regions and all political forces are running for president. The Central Election Commission registered almost three thousand observers from foreign countries and international organizations. Many of them come from the U.S., for which we are truly grateful. There will be also numerous observers from Ukrainian NGOs and political parties to ensure that the elections are held in a free, transparent, and democratic way.
So far, Russia has been the only country whose officials expressed the intention to question the legitimacy of the May 25th vote. Ironically, at the same time, they recognized the March 16th sham “referendum” pulled off on two-week notice in Crimea at gunpoint by Russian Special Forces—a referendum that was ignored by 85 percent of the population—as well as the equally fake “referenda” imitated by the terrorist groups in Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine.
Yet, notwithstanding Russia’s attempts to derail the process, Ukraine is ready to go to the polls, and these elections truly carry a historical significance. Hundreds of thousands of people who participated in the Euromaidan this winter showed their resolve to live in a country without corruption, with a government “by the people and for the people”, accountable to its citizens. Ukraine, which recently signed the political part of the Association Agreement with the European Union and is going to sign shortly its free trade part, is determined to build a free, modern, and prosperous European country.
These are the goals that unite the country. This is the mandate of the people that the new President of Ukraine will have. That is why these elections are so important.
We appreciate the tremendous support of the United States and the international community in making sure that these elections are held in accordance with the highest standards, and any attempts to disrupt them will entail a strong international response.
Olexander Motsyk is Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States.
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Ukraine's Presidential Elections Look to Normalization
May 22, 2014
Presidential elections in Ukraine, scheduled to take place on May 25th, are to become a key factor for the normalization and stabilization of the situation in Ukraine.
Following the Revolution of Dignity, the Ukrainian Parliament appointed a new pro-democratic and pro-European government that replaced the former corrupt regime of Yanukovych, who had fled the country failing to silence with guns the mass protests of the people who no longer wanted to suffer his autocracy. Since then, Russia has been questioning the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian Government. It has been using these questions as a trumped up justification for its military aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, and backing the terrorists and separatists in eastern Ukraine. It has also stubbornly used the false pretense of protecting Russian speakers, without regard to their repeated message that they need no such protection.
Despite Russia’s attempts to disrupt the presidential elections as well as the unprecedented security challenges that Ukraine is facing, everything is ready for holding these elections in all parts of the country except Crimea, which remains under the Russian occupation, and small areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. At the same time, citizens of Ukraine who live in Crimea and those areas may cast their vote at other polling stations in mainland Ukraine. Throughout the country, measures have been taken to guarantee the security of polling stations and the integrity of the election process.
In this campaign, 21 candidates representing all regions and all political forces are running for president. The Central Election Commission registered almost three thousand observers from foreign countries and international organizations. Many of them come from the U.S., for which we are truly grateful. There will be also numerous observers from Ukrainian NGOs and political parties to ensure that the elections are held in a free, transparent, and democratic way.
So far, Russia has been the only country whose officials expressed the intention to question the legitimacy of the May 25th vote. Ironically, at the same time, they recognized the March 16th sham “referendum” pulled off on two-week notice in Crimea at gunpoint by Russian Special Forces—a referendum that was ignored by 85 percent of the population—as well as the equally fake “referenda” imitated by the terrorist groups in Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine.
Yet, notwithstanding Russia’s attempts to derail the process, Ukraine is ready to go to the polls, and these elections truly carry a historical significance. Hundreds of thousands of people who participated in the Euromaidan this winter showed their resolve to live in a country without corruption, with a government “by the people and for the people”, accountable to its citizens. Ukraine, which recently signed the political part of the Association Agreement with the European Union and is going to sign shortly its free trade part, is determined to build a free, modern, and prosperous European country.
These are the goals that unite the country. This is the mandate of the people that the new President of Ukraine will have. That is why these elections are so important.
We appreciate the tremendous support of the United States and the international community in making sure that these elections are held in accordance with the highest standards, and any attempts to disrupt them will entail a strong international response.
Olexander Motsyk is Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States.
