Razumkov Centre: Use of force at elections returned Ukraine to 2004
Valery Chaly Deputy Director of the Razumkov Centre has told the newspaper Gazeta po-ukrainsku that the methods used at October’s parliamentary elections were reminiscent of those in 2004 (i.e. the elections which led to the Orange Revolution – translator).
“The elections were a chance for Ukraine to show itself in a better light and to give certain signals regarding reform and European integration. Unfortunately it wasn’t met.”
Instead, Mr Chaly sees, there were flagrant infringements which were similar to the situation in 2004. “I would even say that somebody in the country, and we need to understand specifically who is thinking so unrealistically, with such unrealistic understanding of strategy, that they permitted such outrageous things at the elections. After all it wasn’t simply election fraud, but something new that hadn’t been seen in the country since 2004 – the engagement of the law enforcement structures in the election process and a lot of other things which were only seen in those years when the country was in deep political crisis.”
“We all have an interest in a stable, democratic Ukraine, and it’s clear that without determined work, without our being active, this will never happen.”. Real mechanisms and reform need to be sought, he stresses.