On the 25th of July evening 2012, the press-service of Chernivtsi Oblast State Administration (OSA) spread the campaign press-release of the Party of Regions for regional mass media[1]. The formal reason for it became the meeting of OSA Board on the same day. One statement of the agenda became the discussion of the instruction given by Ukrainian President concerning securing the conditions for fair and transparent Parliamentary campaign in the region, which Mykhailo Papiev received during the last meeting in Crimea[2]. After asserting the "creation of necessary conditions for free voting on the Parliamentary elections" the main regional official became praising the Party of Regions, headed by him, and accused the opposition of using dirty political technologies, with no supporting facts.
The direct quote from a press release: "The people receive calls, allegedly from the Party of 
Regions, and invite them on imaginary events and dissemination of products. I want to publicly emphasize, that Chernivtsi branch of the Party of Regions is not intended to communicate with the citizens by phone, therefore I ask you to consider all similar calls as political provocations against the party in power. We, unlike our opponents which have nothing to say to the people, have a direct contact with Bukovyna citizens on meetings, and that's the way we solve all their problems." The fact, that the Head of Oblast state administration and his subordinates are really actively visiting Chernivtsy oblast lately, makes the situation even more acute. Moreover, Mykhailo Papiev started the meeting of OSA by the words: "...every official, executive, head of rayon administration or council, head of the city or village must become closer to the people, and feel all their needs and problems."
It's not the first time that the Head of Chernivtsi OSA was abusing his official position in the interest for the party. According to local mass media, the Head of Chernivtsi OSA, Mykhailo Papiev, during the working visit on 19 July 2012, when opening the Therapy Department in the Central Rayon Hospital after major repairs, he appealed to the villagers of Zelena village in Kelmenets rayon to support the party in power on the upcoming Parliamentary elections [3].
Such result of holding party and official positions at the same time is a violation of the Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine On Political Parties of Ukraine [4], which determines, that state officials, bodies of local government, and their officials are forbidden to show their personal preferences concerning certain political parties or provide with benefits and promote political parties when executing their duties, except as otherwise provided by law.
Reference:
Civic monitoring conducted by OPORA - is a type of network activity, aimed at impartial assessment of the preparation and conduct of elections, as well as preventing violations through comprehensive civic action. Professional monitoring at all stages of the election process indirectly influences the quality of the campaign. The public opinion, both foreign and domestic is formed through gathering and spreading of information among the target audience. From a strategic perspective public monitoring of elections focuses upon improving the system and certain procedures. In 2012, during Parliamentary elections in Ukraine OPORA implements a large-scale campaign of long- and short term observation, organizes a statistical vote-count by the results of voting with the proportional component of the electoral system on a basis of representative selection, will provide 100% coverage of polling stations by observers in separate single-mandate majoritarian districts. OPORA observers will work in all 225 electoral districts, and 3,500 activists will join them on the voting day. Organization will use the latest means of spreading information on observation results, including infographics and interactive maps.
[1] Follow the link to see the full text of the press-release published on the official site of Chernivtsi oblast state administration http://oda.cv.ua/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18677&Itemid=1.
[2] Information is taken from the site of Chernivtsi oblast state administration http://oda.cv.ua/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18629&Itemid=0.
[3] The source of information - http://chernivtsi.comments.ua/news/2012/07/19/115824.html.
[4] The Law of Ukraine On Political Parties - http://zakon1.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2365-14/print1343201189909900
.