Observers from the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM) believe that the elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine were organized and held in accordance with international obligations and standards for democratic elections, including those of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe (CoE), as well as in accordance with the national Ukrainian laws.
“Despite the high competition, the elections were held quietly and in an organized fashion,” GUAM observers said in a statement unveiled at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday by GUAM Parliamentary Assembly chairman and head of the observer group, Anatolie Dimitriu.
“As regards the general voting process of organizing the elections and the work of commissions at polling stations, the observations made at certain polling stations by the GUAM observers are not essential and cannot have any substantial effect on the voting results,” he added in his statement.
The GUAM observers were present at 37 polling stations at five constituencies in Kyiv and five polling stations in the 94th constituency in the town of Vasylkiv, Kyiv region.
The head of the group said that the GUAM observers are satisfied with the outcomes of the monitoring. “Overall, the elections can be rated favorably as free and fair,” Dimitriu said.
It was reported that over 2,300 international observers formally registered with the Central Election Commission monitored the Oct. 26 parliamentary elections in Ukraine.
GUAM members are Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova.
