Elections in the united territorial communities, which were held on December 11, were the first serious challenge for the UKROP party after the local elections in 2015. And our party has faced it with dignity! “Ukrainian Patriots Association” has become the fourth among other political forces that have won the elections of deputies and heads of village, town and city councils in the united territorial communities. We are even ahead of some parties with considerable number of their representatives in Parliament. Two UKROP members were elected heads of united communities in Volyn region, 47 deputies will represent the party in the councils of different levels in the united territorial communities in Volyn, Kherson, Chernihiv, Poltava, Ternopil and Zaporizhia regions. The key to this result is that UKROP protects communities not in word but in deed.
These elections also showed that despite some broad statements of the ruling party on their “convincing” victory, people’s confidence is not so great – no wonder its representatives participated in election as self-nominated candidates. At the time, the members of the Party of Regions did the same, when it was rapidly losing support. And the current authorities also descend to other methods of Yanukovych’s team – with pressure of the heads of regional and district administrations on state employees, who are not nominated from the ruling party, demanding to withdraw their candidacies, as well as with organized transporting of voters by school buses and ballot stuffing. Such violations were recorded during voting on December 11.
Next Sunday the problem will be even greater because elections will be held in 143 united territorial communities. We are already concerned about the campaign in Horodnytsya territorial community in Zhytomyr region, where seven candidates withdrew their candidatures in the last minute. The members of UKROP together with other opposition parties call on local authorities to ensure democratic vote and stop pressure on candidates. But those concerned citizens, who will come to the polls in their united territorial communities on December 18, will have the last word.
Every vote is important. Say “Yes!” to real decentralization. Elect the authorities who will represent your interests!
