The Head of Kherson Regional Council Andriy Putilov, who is a pro-government candidate at midterm parliamentary elections in the 183th district in Kherson, uses budget funds and administrative resource in his election campaign. This is noted in the complaint of Vitaliy Bogdanov, representative of the parliamentary candidate from UKROP Oleksandr Knyga, submitted to the Central Election Commission.
In particular, it involves systematic broadcasting of television programs with participation of Andriy Putilov on local TV channels – HODTRC “Scythia” and TRC “VTV Plus” – that show off the candidate’s activities in the villages and town within his electoral district. “During the election campaign the TV programs with participation of Andriy Putilov are broadcasted on HODTRC “Scythia” and TRC “VTV Plus” several times almost every day. It should be mentioned that before being nominated candidate at midterm elections Andriy Putilov was not so actively engaged in his own PR and did not appear so often on the air of these TV channels,” wrote Vitaliy Bogdanov in his complaint.
According to the representative of UKROP, all TV programs and information blocks containing Putilov’s election campaigning , are broadcasted under the pretext of his activities on the post of the Head of Kherson Regional Council and are not marked as “Advertising” or “political advertising” contrary to several provisions in the election law. “Taking into account all the circumstances mentioned above, I consider that this case shows not only the improper use of budget funds allocated for the coverage of the activities of Kherson Regional Council, but in fact it is a violation of the rights and interests of parliamentary candidates in a single-mandate electoral district №183,” said Vitaliy Bogdanov. He has also drawn attention of the CEC to the fact that Andriy Putilov did not go on leave for the period of the election campaign, meanwhile he is actively using the official authority for campaigning.
So the representative of the UKROP candidate asks the CEC to analyze the content of the informational materials with participation of Andriy Putilov on local TV channels and to identify the financing sources for their preparation and rotation in the air. The CEC also has to take appropriate measures to stop violations of Andriy Putilov and submit relevant materials to the law enforcement agencies for their inspection and finding the elements of a crime in his actions, stressed UKROP. “Even Yanukovych did not promote himself for free. We demand that Andriy Putilov pay for his promotion to the budget, as it is required by law,” said Vitaliy Bogdanov.
It is to be recalled, Andriy Putilov is nominated for running for Parliament by the party “Petro Poroshenko Bloc “Solidarity”.
