Ukrainian political parties began preparations for the local elections, scheduled for 25 October this year. Despite the pandemic coronavirus and the country’s quarantine, the date of the vote it was decided not to move. While before the elections the ruling party “servant of the people” intends to amend the electoral law amendment, effectively depriving small regional enterprises hope to win. Nine political parties not represented in Parliament, unanimously opposed the initiative, calling it “discriminatory” and “unconstitutional”.The official start of the election campaign scheduled for the summer. It must be preceded by the disposal of the Central election Commission (CEC) of Ukraine, indicating the end of registration of parties and candidates, as well as giving permission to start the campaign. After this the order about the beginning of the campaign approved by the Verkhovna Rada.However, the Ukrainian party, without waiting for any orders of the CEC, no vote in Parliament, has already started preparations for the elections. So, the Deputy from “Servants of the people”, Deputy head of the parliamentary Committee on the organization of state power Alexander Kachura said that his party has already begun to deploy the pre-election headquarters in the regions.Mr. Kachura is of the opinion that this matter will not reach, and to change the Constitution, by introducing into it new conditions for the postponement or cancellation of elections, the deputies will not.Although recognized member in the coronavirus will affect the course of the campaign. “Perhaps we should prepare for the fact that these elections will be the first when there will be full of meetings with the candidates in the courts, at public meetings. In this case, if the pandemic coronavirus will spread even further in Ukraine”,— quotes the words of Deputy edition “RBC-Ukraine”.Earlier, the speaker Dmitry Razumkov also stated that the lack of grounds for postponement of the vote in local elections. However, he stipulated that the final decision to hold elections should be taken closer to October. This was Mr. Razumkov, in particular, spoke in interview to the edition “Left coast” in early April. In the same interview, he admitted that representatives of Pro-presidential party “servant of the people” to win local elections will be more difficult than in a parliamentary one. “Local elections — is clearly a challenge for the party “servant of the people” because they cannot be compared with a parliamentary one. There voted for the TV, here — for specific people. Direct transmission rating (from President Vladimir Zelensky.— “B”) no”,— said the speaker of Parliament.Therefore preparation for the election campaign started ahead of time, as in the ruling party consider it necessary to select those candidates who will be able to form coalitions and to cooperate with the opposition Nakanishi��and reputational losses for the “Servants of the people.””It is clear that “quarantine wave” — the dissatisfaction of Ukrainians strict quarantine, because of which many lose their income and work for local councils who just do not get it. This wave already saddled and former “regionals” of the Opposition bloc and the party of Petro Poroshenko “European solidarity”, the approach also forces emerging around coronavirus dissidents from among the mayors who took unauthorized to repeal or weaken quarantine in their respective cities. They probably also spend a lot of deputies. All these people need to be able to come up with each of these MPs need to find a common language, so now the main task for “public Servants” — found in the regions and districts of those candidates who will be able to organize normal work of local authorities even in the absence of the overwhelming majority of deputies in the Soviets”,— said the source “Kommersant”. In parallel with the selection of candidates in the ruling party are engaged in the editing of the electoral law. The Chairman of the party, the Deputy head of its parliamentary faction, Alexander Kornienko reported to the electoral code will be amended, according to which to participation in local elections will be allowed only those parties who have offices in at least two thirds of Ukrainian regions. Moreover, for the formation of his faction in the regional or even district Council it must gain at least 5% of the votes of all voters participating in the elections. If the whole country, this barrier is not overcome, the party will not hold their candidates to the local councils, even if in the field or area will vote for it, the vast majority of voters.”We like mushrooms after a rain grow party mayors. Within a single city or region. When we talk about this trend in the Central regions of the country, it’s not so bad. But when it comes to border areas — we all understand which areas are meant, then it could be a completely different story,” explained Mr. Kornienko, the need for the introduction of a national threshold in interview to the edition “Mirror of week”, calling the situation “an inoculation from separatism”.In addition, the electoral law is planned to make another important change. Now local councils, representing the interests of 90 million voters, formed by the majority system, whereby MPs can be elected as independents, not belonging to any of the parties. All other councils are planned to be formed on a proportional system, that is under party lists.Political parties not represented in Parliament, need to give up making all these changes, indicating that their approval will lead to destroyedthe view of regional political forces. In a joint statement, nine such parties to the parliamentarians proposed a “Servant of the people” amendments called “discriminatory” and “unconstitutional”. “Setting national selective barrier of 5% in the local elections — this is what scientists call the process of partizanii power. In fact — it forced all politicians at the local level candidate from the ruling party, which completely wins the election. The process of monopolization is completed and has reached the scale of United Russia”,— said in the appeal. Signatures under the document were put by heads of the parties “Right sector”, “Demalyansa”, “power of the people”, “Ukraine Cathedral”, “Khvylya”, “national platform”, “Ukrainian Galician party”, “libertarian party”, “Patriotic party of Ukraine”.Matthew Shimanov, Kiev
