In front of some polling stations in Trostyanets, Sumy oblast, the citizens are asked to take part in the inquiry on the topic whether to renovate the monument of Lenin in their city.
City Mayor of Trostyanets, Yurii Bova, decided to take advantage of the high voter turnout at the Presidential election in Ukraine to conduct an inquiry. At the entrance of polling station stand carton boxes with a sign "For the inquiry of citizens" written on them. All people eager to participate receive a "ballot" with the following text and four questions "All-city consulting inquiry of the citizens of Trostyanets, Sumy oblast, from May 25, 2014. 1) Is the statue of Lenin needed in Trostyanets? 2) If yes, how should it look? 3) If no, what would you like to see instead of the statue? 4) Do you agree to rename the city streets according to the names they had during the SSSR period?"
Observer of OPORA received such a "ballot" without presenting any documents and "voted" two times at wto different pollign stations.
The inquiry takes place not in the building of the polling stations but in front of their entrances.
Oleksandr Khoruzhenko
Electoral programs coordinator of the Civil Network OPORA in Sumy oblast
https://www.facebook.com/oleksandr.khoruzhenko
Iryna Stehnii
Press-secretary of the Civil Network OPORA in Sumy oblast
+38 066 305 51 90
[email protected]
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 electoral violations through comprehensive civic action. Since March, OPORA conducts a wide observation campaign during snap Presidential election, interim Parliamentary elections (district #83), and special local elections. The organization cooperates with 175 long-term observers, who are watching the course of election campaign in all Ukrainian regions. On the Election Day on May 25, 3,000 activists will join them to conduct the parallel vote tabulation, based on statistical sample.