Ukraine Hopes to Gain Support from the United States in Reforming the Country’s Electoral Legislation

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine hopes that foreign partners will contribute to strengthening the foundations of competitive democracy in Ukraine.

In an interview with Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine, the deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mr. Ruslan Demchenko, said they believed the U.S. and other foreign partners will contribute to the success of the activities with the objective to strengthen the principles Ukraine’s competitive democracy.

He also commented on the statement of Mr. Philip Gordon, the assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasian affairs, about Ukraine’s local elections being not democratic.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine believes there is a thorough assessment of Ukraine’s Oct. 31 local elections in a press release from the U.S. Embassy in Kiev from Nov. 3.

He reiterated that President Viktor Yanukovic set a clear goal to submit to the public for consideration the content of the electoral code by May 2011. The code will unify the election legislations and will enable holding elections at all levels in line with the highest democratic standards.

The diplomat also told Interfax-Ukraine that the Ukrainian government has invited American and European experts to take part in the activities ordered by President Viktor Yanukovic, which will focus on the improvement of the country’s electoral legislation.

It was also said that Mr. Gordon stated that Ukraine’s Oct. 31 local elections did not meet the standards for democracy.

On Nov. 3, the U.S. government spread the information that these elections were less democratic and less transparent than the elections held in Ukraine earlier in 2010.

Furthermore, the U.S. has agreed to help Ukraine to reform their electoral legislation.

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