Most commissions in the territorial communities in Luhansk region (where the Central Election Commission declared impossible to have the elections) are not in operation. However, there are some commissions that continue having their sessions. It is informed by OPORA representatives from Luhansk region.

On August, 30, 2020, the Central Election Commission had a regular meeting when they approved the Resolution No 208 “On the Start of Election Process for Local Elections on October, 25, 2020.” At the same time, the CEC took into account their resolution of August, 8, 2020, No 161 “On the Impossibility to Have the First Elections of Deputies to Certain Village, Township, and City Councils in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and the Respective Village, Township and City Heads on October, 25, 2020.” Thus, the CEC decided it impossible to have elections in the territorial hromadas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. In the first place, it concerned the elections in Severodonetsk city territorial hromada, Lysychansk city territorial hromada, Popasna city territorial hromada, Hirske city territorial hromada (Severodonetsk district), and also Shchastia city territorial hromada, Shyroke township territorial hromada, Stanytsia Luhanska township territorial hromada, and Nyzhnioteple village territorial hromada (Shchastia district).

Despite the fact that no elections will be conducted in the above mentioned territories, Shchastia town territorial election commission (TEC) continues its operations. Thus, the commission holds meetings and approves replacements taking place in their membership. At the same time, the TEC has roughly divided the territory in constituencies but failed to administer their final approval. In fact, according to Mykhaylo Knyshenko, the TEC head, they “are not entitled therefor.” In addition, the head stated that he personally would like to have the elections in the territory as the community needs them.

At the same time, a deputy head of Lysychansk territorial election commission Valentyna Khodus stated that she was totally against non-having the elections in certain territories of Luhansk Oblast, specifically in Lysychansk. The lady believes the decision to be a violation of constitutional rights of citizens, labelling it a “farce”:

“No single mass event has ever been cancelled in Severodonetsk, or in Lysychansk because of the threat of war. Why then is it considered “impossible” to have the elections?”

Lysychansk TEC had one meeting where all the members took an oath. Currently, the commission interrupted their operations and are waiting for any changes in the law.

As to the Severodonetsk city TEC, their operations were interrupted, too. The commission has had one meeting – on September, 6, where they followed all legal provisions required. According to Oleksandr Fomberg, “no further operations of the TEC are required by the law, that is why it makes no sense to have further meetings.”

It shall be noted that the Severodonetsk territorial election commission is the only commission that managed to divide and adopt the constituencies therein, even though they have never received any relevant documents from the CEC.

The township TEC of Stanytsia Luhanska also had one first meeting, to never convene again, due to the CEC resolution on the impossibility to have elections in certain territories of Luhansk Oblast.

“However, the situation left many members of the commission and the community indignant. We could vote at the presidential and parliamentary elections. Why can’t we have the local elections?” says Iraida Chernikova, head of the township TEC.

It shall be emphasized that the situation with not having the election in many places of Shchastia district is very acute, as there have been no local elections here since 2012. Presently, many deputies of village, town, or township councils in the district moved out, some of them passed away, some resigned. There are many cases when the acting council head is a secretary chosen among the deputies because there was no other candidate to manage all the duties of the head. According to Iraida Chernikova, in some places, they had to introduce civil-military administrations as the council was not able to convene a meeting (e.g. in Nyzhnia Vilkhova).

For comments, pleased, contact:

Oleksiy Kormiletskyi, election observation coordinator of the Civil Network OPORA in Luhansk Oblast

tel: 0502752808

email: [email protected]