RIA Novosti: PACE Points Out Shortfalls in Ukraine Election Campaign

KIEV, May 6 (RIA Novosti) – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has pointed out shortfalls in Ukraine’s preparations for the presidential election scheduled for May 25, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

“The PACE delegation said there were still some shortcomings to be resolved, including campaign fundraising and more transparent media ownership,” the ministry said in a statement, adding the election campaign had also drawn attention to a lack of security for journalists.

The white paper reiterated some of the conclusions made by a PACE watchdog committee on the early Ukrainian election. European observers conducted a study on the ground late last month.

The mission called on Kiev to create equal opportunities for all candidates to meet their electorate and inform them about their platforms, as well as to guarantee equal media coverage and give the contenders access to all Ukrainian territories.

PACE stressed that Ukraine must see to it that the election will be democratic and urged Kiev not to bar citizens from going to the polls based on their political views, ethnicity or language.

The interim government in Kiev earlier said it saw no reason to put off the May 25 presidential election in Ukraine, despite deadly clashes in the country’s southeastern regions.

The Russian Civic Chamber said Monday it was preparing an appeal to the UN and the European Council to postpone the presidential election in crisis-hit Ukraine until the situation in the country stabilizes.