The influence of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) over the local elections in Ukraine is a threat to democracy in the country, Ombudsman Nina Karpachova has said.
"I cannot stay silent over the fact that recently the regional departments of SBU launched hotlines for control over violations of the election legislation. Even divisions of the military security service are involved in the election process… Such total control of the special services is a threat to Ukraine’s democracy," Karpachova said.
The ombudsman noted that a similar situation had been observed in Ukraine in 2007 during the elections.
I would like to stress from [the parliament] tribune that neither the law on the security Service of Ukraine, nor the Ukrainian president’s order of Sept. 16, 2010, give the SBU control over the observance of the right to vote," Karpachova said.
