Electoral Code: What is New?

On April, 1, national deputies sent draft law “On Amending the Constitution of Ukraine (about the term of authority of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, of local councils, of heads of villages, settlements and cities)” to the Constitutional Court. Draft law aims at amending article 136 and 141 of the Basic Law through setting five year term of authority of the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, of local councils, of heads of villages, settlements and cities, who were elected at the regular elections.

It is also mentioned there that the elections to the local councils will take place on March, 27, 2011. At the same time till the start of election campaign national deputies declare their intention to carry out long-expected review of election legislation by means of adopting the so called Electoral Code. The question is first of all about bringing amendments to the election system which are used at the elections of national deputies of Ukraine, deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, of city councils, of city chairmen and, first of all, of district and region councils as far as the operating normative basis doesn’t correspond their constitutional status of the expressers of the interests of territorial societies.

Now the document has been sent to the deputy fractions for acquaintance. Whether they will vote for the project of the code will be clear after the results made at “round table” (which is planned on April, 28 at the Committee on the questions of state building and local self-government) and at parliamentary hearings: “Reforming of legislation of Ukraine about local elections and in the interests of territorial societies” which will take place on May, 12.