Mykola Tomenko: The Fact that the Bill on Open Party Lists was not upheld proves that the Elections on 30 May will be held according to the Existing System
Mykola Tomenko, Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, commented upon the Bill on Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine regarding Elections of the Deputies of the Crimean Autonomous Republic, Local Councils and Mayors (re Peculiarities of Formation of Territorial Electoral Committees, Introduction of Open Lists of Candidates to the Deputy Offices in the Verkhovna Rada of the Crimean Autonomous Republic and Local Councils) (Reg. No. 1458) that was scrutinized at the afternoon plenary meeting and was not adopted at the First Reading. Mykola Tomenko considers such voting "a rule of political reality: the leaders make publicly favoured speeches, while their deputies make profitable deals at the parliament".
M.Tomenko stated that hardly any politician would disagree with the necessity to refuse from closed lists. "The legislative initiative of People´s Deputy Serhiy Podhorny was a serious step towards democratization of electoral system, as it presupposed formation of open lists of candidates to the deputy offices in the Verkhovna Rada of the Crimean Autonomous Republic and local councils, which rendered a possibility to elect not only a party representative, but also a certain popular person at the elections to the local self-government bodies. However, the Party of Regions, the Communist Party and the pro-presidential part of "Our Ukraine" failed to adopt the said Bill under different pretexts", - he stated.
The Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated that the scrutiny of the Bill resulted in a traditional situation: everyone discredits the present-day system, not willing to alter it in practice. He believes that the appeals to restore the majority system, "when the representatives of big business could easily secure a place for themselves at the local councils", are unconvincing. M.Tomenko also stressed that no bill on the restoration of the majority system had been registered at the Parliament.
According to the Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the system of closed lists will be preserved under the pretext of struggle for the majority system. However, M.Tomenko approves of the fact that the BYuT Faction, the Lytvyn Bloc and "People´s Self-Defense" supported the idea of open lists. At the same time, the Party of Regions, the Communist Party and the pro-presidential part of "Our Ukraine" strongly objected to it.
"It means that elections to the local self-government bodies of Ukraine scheduled for 30 May 2010 will be held with the closed party lists", - stated Mykola Tomenko.