UCC Prepares for New Observer Mission

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is preparing to send an observer mission to monitor the early elections to Ukraine’s parliament scheduled for 30 September 2007. This will be the third mission that the Congress has sponsored as part of its on-going commitment to promoting the development of a fully democratic Ukrainian society. Anyone interested in being a volunteer observer is asked to complete the application form on the UCC website (go to http://www.ucc.ca/eom/) by Friday 17 August 2007. Potential observers should also ensure that their passport is valid for six months after their entry into Ukraine.

The size of the mission will be partly determined by the number of volunteers as well as the available resources. Thanks to its previous missions the UCC can draw upon a wealth of practical experience, and has a Kyiv office and Ukrainian support staff ready to be deployed. Once again, the Congress is appealing to Ukrainian community members to support this worthwhile endeavour by generously donating to the UCC. Whereas observers are expected to cover their airfare to Ukraine either personally or through organizational sponsorships, internal travel, some meals and accommodation costs incurred performing monitoring duties will be paid for by the Congress from the mission budget.

Although Ukraine has made positive strides toward achieving a more transparent and fair electoral process, challenges still remain. Since the vote is expected to be hotly contested, extra vigilance will be required to ensure that Ukraine’s election laws are not violated by any of the competing parties. The UCC does not endorse individual candidates, political parties or coalitions – its only goal is to help ensure that the decision of Ukrainian voters is made without illegal interference and that the results are respected by electoral authorities.

“Among the many positive effects of electoral missions is that they help to inspire those who go to work as observers, and to reaffirm their appreciation of democratic values. Thus, both Canada and the Ukrainian Canadian community benefit from participation in such missions,” notes Jars Balan, the chair of the UCC’s Canada-Ukraine Committee. “Furthermore, besides serving as an obvious deterrent to cheating, the presence of outside observers can be reassuring to both voters and election officials. Of course, the involvement of Canadians of Ukrainian descent also demonstrates their solidarity with the citizens of Ukraine as they struggle to shake off the legacy of centuries of authoritarian rule.”