Right before working visit of the UDAR party leader to Prykarpattia, supporters of a candidate from the UDAR party in district #88, Volodymyr Dovhaniuk, had organized a picket in Kolomyia city. The candidate disagreed with the party congress decision concerning his removal in favor of Oles Donii

Volodymyr Dovhaniuk became one of those 6 candidates from UDAR party which were remover in favor of self-nominated candidates in opposition. "I was prepared to the party congress, I brought official ratings and was ready to speak. But, unfortunately, party leaders leaned their decision on personal desires of Mr. Donii, but not on the research", said Dovhaniuk Volodymyr. The Prykarpattia mass media have spread information that Mr. Dovhaniuk, in accordance with instructions of the UDAR party which he belongs to, removed his candidacy in favor of his opponent. However, Dovhaniuk Volodymyr stressed that he hasn't removed his candidacy, and, despite the will of his party leader, he had no intention to do so.

"We are not going to put our personal ambitions in the forefront — if you are the member of our party, and support the policy of the party, than you should follow instructions and decisions taken by the party", - said Vitalii Klychko during a press-conference in Ivano-Frankivsk. - Our purpose on the elections — is to create a democratic majority in the Parliament. Therefore, we took a decision together with the United Opposition to nominate those candidates which have the biggest number of supporters in the district. All the other candidates should remove their candidacies and support those who will run. We, together with the Opposition, have ordered the conduction of a sociological poll. According to its result, we removed 22 members of the party with low level of support in 32 districts in favor of representatives from the United Opposition or self-nominated candidates which have more chances to win than representatives of the Party of Regions.

Vitalii Klychko said that Mr' Dovhaniuk's desire to stand as a candidate despite the decision of the party is "an example of defending personal interests". The UDAR party leader thinks that Oles Donii is a man of strong convictions, which had always protected his principles and was acting in favor of society, but not his party leaders. On 15 October, the CEC canceled registration of Volodymyr Dovhaniuk.

Nataliia Holomidova
Press-secretary of the observation campaign during 2012 Parliamentary elections
in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast
050-671-6823
For comment, please contact:
Ivan Maruniak,
Coordinator of the observation campaign during 2012 Parliamentary elections
in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast
063 628 67 68