DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE “On the support of the realization of citizens` rights, democratic society, openness and transparency in the process of preparation and conduct of the 2002 elections”
Kyiv, 30 October 2001, ¹ 1022/2001
With the aim of providing for necessary conditions for the realization of the constitutional right of citizens to freely elect and be elected to the bodies of state power and local self-government, strict adherence to the principles of democracy, openness and transparency, realization of a conscious expression of voters` will during the preparation and conduct of the elections of people`s deputies of Ukraine, deputies of local councils village, township and town principals, to be held in 2002, supporting the efforts of the public aimed at accomplishing these assignments, in accordance with paragraph 2, Article 102 of the Constitution of Ukraine, I decree:
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, central and local bodies of the executive power, as well as bodies of local self-government (in the part of exercising the delegated powers of the executive branch) shall be guided in their activity by understanding that creation of appropriate conditions for the 2002 elections of people`s deputies of Ukraine, deputies of local councils, village, township and town principals, in full compliance with the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, with due consideration of the exemplary European and worldwide experience, is at present one of the most responsible tasks in the field of the realization of fundamental political rights of citizens, consolidation of vital values of a democratic society.
To support the initiative of the Central Election Commission on the establishment, for the time of the 2002 election, of a methodological centre in the city of Kyiv and its divisions in the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea, in the regions and the city of Sebastopol, in order to promptly inform and advise political parties, other subjects of the election process on the electoral legislation and other practical assistance.
The Cabinet of Ministers shall:
establish, together with the Central Election Commission and within a two months period, an inter-agency working group to assist in the activity of official observers from foreign states and international organizations that will be coming to Ukraine to monitor the process of the preparation and conduct of the 2002 election;
provide for full and timely financing of expenditures for the preparation and conduct of the election of people`s deputies of Ukraine, deputies of local councils, village, township and town principals, in the amount envisaged by the State Budget of Ukraine.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea, Kyiv and Sebastopol city state administrations shall:
promptly take necessary measures to ensure that public officials and civil servants of the executive power strictly abide by the requirements of the electoral law during the electoral process on the matters within their competence, in particular as regards unbiased treatment of political parties, electoral blocs of parties as subjects of the electoral process, candidates for people`s deputies of Ukraine, deputies for local councils and for the posts of village, township and town principals;
assist, together with the state-owned and communal mass media, law enforcement bodies, in the activity of press-centres, to be established by respective election commission, for the purpose of comprehensive coverage of the process of organization and conduct of the election, results of opinion polls, measures to remedy revealed violation of the law, prompt promulgation of other information;
ensure, together with law enforcement bodies and with engagement of the broad public, civil order in cities and other inhabited areas throughout the electoral process, in order to create appropriate conditions for a free expression of citizens` will during the voting.
The Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, State Committee for Information Policy, TV and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, together with the National Bank and Central Election Commission shall provide for, in accordance with the electoral legislation, openness and transparency for the public of the use of electoral funds of political parties, electoral blocs of parties, candidates for people`s deputies of Ukraine, deputies of local councils, for the posts of village, township and town principals.
The State Committee for Information Policy, TV and Radio Broadcasting, the National Council of Ukraine for TV and Radio Broadcasting, together with the Central Election Commission, shall provide, in established order, for effective control over compliance by all TV and radio organizations, irrespective of their type of ownership, with the norms of the Constitution and laws of Ukraine regarding the citizens` right for freedom of speech and free expression of their views and convictions, as well as equal access to the state-owned audiovisual media of political parties, electoral blocs of parties, candidates for people`s deputies of Ukraine, deputies of local councils, for the posts of village, township and town principals, other subjects of the electoral process, a fair and unbiased allocation of time for the election campaign, strict implementation of decisions of election commissions concerning the procedure for the use of the mass media during the election. For that purpose a public council shall be created comprising prominent public figures, famous politologists, experts in organization and conduct of elections, which shall be recommended to map out the procedure for using media outlets, first of all state-owned, by respective participants of the electoral process, on the basis of equality and free expression of views and convictions.
The Ministry of Education and Sciences of Ukraine, together with the Central Election Commission, shall envisage organization of lectures, workshops and additional classes in higher education and vocational schools for explaining the electoral legislation of Ukraine.
The Ministry of Culture and Arts of Ukraine, together with the Central Election Commission, shall organize thematic exhibitions and other events in libraries, clubs and other cultural institutions, with a view to familiarising the citizens with the electoral legislation, the rights of voters and the voting procedure.
The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, Ministry of Education and Sciences of Ukraine, State Committee for Information Policy, TV and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, together with the Central Election Commission, shall provide for the production of informative and educational TV and radio programmes, release of thematic cinematography, issuance of popular editions and methodological guidebooks on the application of the electoral legislation.
The Council of the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea, local state administrations shall:
provide all assistance to official observers from foreign states, international organizations and from the subjects of the electoral process in exercising their powers, envisaged by the electoral legislation of Ukraine;
render continuous support to respective election commissions in fulfilling their duties, and to non-governmental organizations in their efforts to raise legal culture of the subjects of the electoral process, to create conditions for a free and conscious expression of citizens` will during the voting, in particular by organizing lectures, clubs of voters, information centres etc.
President of Ukraine
L.KUCHMA
For additional information, please contact:
Alla Okomaniuk, Press Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine
310 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K2P 0J9
Tel. (613) 230-2961, fax (613) 230-2400
E-mail: ukrembassy@on.aibn.com
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