On 20 September 2018 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine finally renewed the CEC composition. This is an important step towards ensuring the legitimacy of elections to local self-government bodies, as well as presidential and parliamentary elections to be held in 2019.

However, the priority task for new members of the CEC, and a test of their ability to act in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, is to decide on the issue of elections in amalgamated hromadas.

It should be noted that in accordance with Article 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Local Elections”, the first local elections are scheduled not later than 70 days before the day they are held. Taking into account the norms of the Budget Code of Ukraine, for AHs to switch to direct interbudgetary relations with the state budget, the CEC should appoint the elections on the last Sunday of October and take the relevant decision no later than on 16 October 2018.

With due account of the aforementioned, Reanimation Package of Reforms, the coalition of NGOs, urges new members of the Central Election Commission to appoint elections in AHs, regarding which the oblast state administrations sent relevant appeals.

The full version is available in Ukrainian – please click HERE