OSCE can’t recognize Ukraine election results without Russia, Markov says

The OSCE doesn’t have the right to recognize the
Ukrainian presidential election results without Russia’s participation in the
observing mission, said on Feb. 5 Sergei Markov, a former Russian Duma MP
widely identified as a talking head loyal to the Kremlin. “The OSCE doesn’t
have the right to reject any member-state – and Russia is one of the main OSCE
members – from being an observer,” he told Russian state television.

The Ukrainian government has already written to the
OSCE to request an election observing mission without Russian involvement, said
Russian Duma MP Aleksey Zhuravlov during the program, adding that he expects
the OSCE will send a delegation without the Russians, and approve the results
regardless of what Russia thinks.

Zenon Zawada: It is
essential for Poroshenko’s re-election goals to have the OSCE participate in
observing the vote and approve the results of the presidential vote scheduled
for March and April. His rivals, led by Yulia Tymoshenko, are already accusing
the president of organizing large-scale vote-buying, laying the groundwork for
inevitable fraud accusations. The main way, and perhaps the only way, the
president can legitimize the results – among a populace that largely rejects him, according to recent polls –
is to have Western authorities affirm that he was re-elected in a free and fair
vote that met international standards.

Because Western authorities are highly interested in
Poroshenko getting re-elected, we expect the OSCE will send an observation
mission without the Russians. And we expect they will approve the election
results so long as vote manipulations aren’t egregious and obvious. We believe
Poroshenko is capable of organizing elections that meet OSCE standards and get
its approval, which would mitigate the potential for mass protests, riots or
insurgencies.