Pavlo Petrenko: Present presidential elections can be a model even for the European Union

The Head of the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Pavlo Petrenko calls unique the 2019 presidential campaign. The Minister of Justice told about the peculiarities of the voting process and the prospects of post-elections Ukraine at the 12th Kyiv Security Forum, organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

In his speech, Mr. Pavlo Petrenko had noted that the current elections have demonstrated absolutely new principles for the realization of electoral rights.

"These elections are unique. The constitutional right of a citizen to give an assessment to the authorities through voting is implemented on a completely new basis than in the previous 25 years. I am referring to a series of innovations. What is meant here is a record number of presidential candidates was registered. Also, a record number of Ukrainian observers accounts 100,000 as well as a record number of international observers. At the same time, we have a minimum number of violations registered in the first round of elections," Mr. Pavlo Petrenko said.

The Minister of Justice emphasizes that this election is about a radical change of the Ukrainian political culture.

"None of the presidential candidates after the first round does not contest results in court. Before the closure of polls and the announcement of exit polls the country had not even suspected which of the candidates will go into the second round," Mr. Petrenko noted.

According to the politician, in this elections, Ukrainians have begun to perceive that their vote was not just a formality, but determined the fate of the country. Voter turnout was also a record.

“About two million citizens had left their regions because of the occupation. Before the first round, the electoral address had been changed by 300,000 people, what is also unique. And although the law limits the time for changing the voting address for the second round, on the third day about 100,000 (!) people wishing to change address were accounted. Thus, we are witnessing a completely new political reality that will determine the fate of the country for decades to come," Mr. Pavlo Petrenko concluded. 

The Minister of Justice added that Ukrainians should elect a legitimate president who will unite the country and will be recognized by the world. However, acute challenges for the country remain.

"War and external threat have not disappeared anywhere. The priority is European integration and building a state with strong democratic institutions. This position was clearly voiced by Mr. Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Narodnyy Front Party, which in 2016 had demonstrated a new culture for Ukraine - it did not pull out of the coalition after the resignation of its leader from the post of the Prime Minister. The Narodnyy Front Party continues to implement painful but urgently needed reforms. We see the results in the present presidential elections, - we have a new quality of will expression. Our elections standards is an example for many countries in the European Union," Mr. Pavlo Petrenko concluded.

FOR INFORMATION:
The Kyiv Security Forum was established by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007. A forum is an annual event that acts as a platform for high-level discussion on relevant matters of national security as well as security in the Black Sea region, Europe and the world.