Ruling to deny Ukraine Opposition Bloc local registration overturned

The Kharkiv Regional Election Commission violated the law when it refused to register candidates from the Opposition Bloc for the Kharkiv Regional (Oblast) Council in the Oct. 25 local elections, the Central Election Commission of Ukraine ruled on Oct. 7. The regional commission based its refusal resolution on the party having violated the timetable for submitting required documents, as well as their failure to conform with requirements. This decision was overturned with the CEC’s Oct. 7 ruling, which ordered the commission to decide on the registration today.

Zenon Zawada: The Opposition Bloc has practically become an establishment political force, aligned with the Petro Poroshenko Bloc on the most critical issue of establishing the Donbas special status and organizing elections in line with European demands. So in our view, the commission’s decision is not related to the fact that many of its candidates are former Party of Regions members and Russian-oriented in the business dealings and personal views.

We believe it’s related to competition between Kharkiv’s business clans, most notably Interior Minsiter Arsen Avakov challenging local kingpin, Mykhaylo Dobkin. The ruling gives Dobkin a chance to field his candidates with the Opposition Bloc. His close ally, Kharkiv Mayor Hennadiy Kernes, managed to register for the local elections under a different party. Yet he’s currently appearing in court for charges of kidnapping, torture and murder threats committed during the EuroMaidan. The timing of the court hearings, during an election campaign, also reeks of selective prosecution.