OPORA has been receiving these days information from various sources about attempts to induce CEC member Kateryna Makhnitska to appeal for early termination of her authority. Such actions can be characterized as an illegal pressure upon an official at the highest level election commission, aimed to create a vacant seat before the voting on CEC's renewal. We would like to remind that Kateryna Makhnitska was appointed in April 2014, representing AUU “Svoboda”, and her term of office expires in 2021.
According to the international standards and national legislation, the CEC is a state collegial body, which functions independently from other state authorities, local self-government bodies, public officials and civil servants. Representatives of any other bodies, as well as public officials and civil servants are prohibited from interfering into activities of the CEC and its members.
Any attempts to influence members of the CEC in an illegal way hazard the impartiality and unbiasedness of the Commission before important national elections in 2019.
OPORA is extremely concerned about the information about CEC member being put upon pressure, and calls on every stakeholder of political negotiations on renewal of the CEC to act in line with the legislation and refrain from any actions, which can undermine public trust in the renewal and the CEC itself. Law enforcement bodies of Ukraine should take measures to stop any illegal actions of government bodies or officials, if there are any grounds, and guarantee proper conditions for legitimate activities of CEC members.
OPORA calls on the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, parliamentary factions and groups of MPs to demonstrate the political responsibility and urgently approve the rotation of CEC members, whose term of office expired.