UKRAINE: OSCE officials optimistic that the Ukrainian presidential elections will be carried out successfully throughout the country

Record ID: 695293

  • Title: UKRAINE: OSCE officials optimistic that the Ukrainian presidential elections will be carried out successfully throughout the country
  • Date: 24th May 2014
  • Summary: DONETSK, UKRAINE (MAY 24, 2014) (REUTERS) OFFICIALS ATTENDING A BRIEFING FOR THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE) SITTING IN A LOUNGE AT THE DONBASS PALACE HOTEL VARIOUS OF JOAO SOARES, SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OSCE OBSERVATION MISSION IN UKRAINE (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOAO SOARES, SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OSCE OBSERVATION MISSION IN UKRAINE, SAYING: "I'm optimistic as far as the election is concerned in all of Ukraine. Of course there are problems, there are problems in this region, that's why we came here to be in the field the day before the elections, but it happens also in other countries." VARIOUS OF SOARES AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN A LOUNGE AT THE DONBASS PALACE HOTEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOAO SOARES, SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OSCE OBSERVATION MISSION IN UKRAINE, SAYING: "We are going to have in this Ukrainian presidential elections that are so important to give political, democratic legitimacy to a new power in Ukraine, a new power that can establish dialogue and democratic rules, that the turnout will be bigger than the elections that will occur in all European Union also tomorrow." VARIOUS OF SOARES AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN A LOUNGE AT THE DONBASS PALACE HOTEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOAO SOARES, SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OSCE OBSERVATION MISSION IN UKRAINE, SAYING: "I think the main rule for those who believe in democracy, whoever democracy is threatened, is to give the opportunity to the people of the country to express their own will in democratic elections. And that's what is going to occur tomorrow here in Ukraine. And whatever we can contribute, we will contribute to it. In a peaceful mind, we are establishing dialogue with everybody." OSCE OFFICIALS IN THE LOUNGE SOARES LOOKING AT HIS PHONE
  • Embargoed: 8th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAA5143SWJP5UGKDSTJHHTMWVIR
  • Story Text: Election monitors are hopeful that presidential elections will be carried out successfully throughout Ukraine, Joao Soares, special coordinator for the OSCE mission in Ukraine said on Saturday (May 24).
    "I'm optimistic as far as the election is concerned in all of Ukraine. Of course there are problems, there are problems in this region, that's why we came here to be in the field the day before the elections, but it happens also in other countries," Soares told Reuters in an interview at a briefing at the Donbass palace hotel.
    More than 1,000 observers from Europe's OSCE security watchdog plan to monitor the election, which will run for 12 hours until 8 p.m. (1700 GMT).
    Electoral officials in the east were setting up polling stations but they have said some electoral districts would be out of action in the country's eastern region due to clashes.
    There is fear that violence may keep people at home, yet Soares said he expects that despite the violence, turnout will be impressive.
    "We are going to have in this Ukrainian presidential election that is so important to give political, democratic legitimacy to a new power in Ukraine, a new power that can establish dialogue and democratic rules, that the turnout will be bigger than the elections that will occur in all European Union also tomorrow."
    Exit polls will give a rapid indication of the result but a definitive outcome will only be known on Monday (May 26).
    If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote on Sunday, a run-off will be held on June 15, in all likelihood putting confectionery magnate Petro Poroshenko against ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
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