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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in Ukraine

POCKET GUIDEBOOK to EARLY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS in UKRAINE

May 22, 2014

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SOME KEY DATES IN HISTORY OF MODERN UKRAINE24.08.1991 – Ukraine became Independent by the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine that was adopted by the Ukrainian Parliament.

01.12.1991 – A referendum on the Act of Declaration of Independence. More than 90 % of the population voted in favor of Independence, more than 50 % in all administrative-territorial units of Ukraine voted «for». After the first presidential election Leonid Kravchuk became the President (candidate from the east of Ukraine).

1994 – Ukraine joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Ukraine had third largest nuclear arsenal in the world. Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances was signed, and Russia, the USA as well as Great Britain became guarantors of the territorial integrity, political independence of Ukraine.

Summer 1994 – Early presidential elections, Leonid Kuchmabecame the president (candidate from the east of Ukraine).

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in Ukraine

Summer 1995 – Adoption of the Constitutional Treaty that established presidential republic.

28.06.1996 – Adoption of the new Constitution of Ukraine which, similarly to the French Constitution, established presidential-parliamentary form of Government.

02.09.1996 – Ukrainian hryvnia became the national currency of Ukraine. In the medieval times, hryvnia was the name of the currency of the Kyivan Rus.

Fall of 1999 – Leonid Kuchma was re-elected for a second term in the Presidental elections using Russian technology by wining as pro-government candidate against a Communist.

16.04.2000 – All-Ukrainian referendum on strengthening the powers of the president. Despite the majority support the change has not been implemented.

Fall of 2000 – «Cassette scandal». Disappearance of the opposition journalist Georgiy Gongadze and publication of

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the leaked recording of the conversation in the presidential office that indicated the corruption and crimes among political autorities.

December 2000 to the end of 2002 – Political campaign «Ukraine without Kuchma», President Leonid Kuchma has lost public support. Former governor of the Donetsk region Viktor Yanukovych became the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

May 2004 – The Eurovision Song Contest 2004, Ukrainian singer Ruslana won the contest with “Wild Dances”.

21.11.2004 – January 2005 – «Orange Revolution». Kyiv became the center of mass protests of supporters of the opposition candidate, Victor Yushchenko against the falsified results of the presidential elections alleged winner Viktor Yanukovych. December 2004 – Verkhovna Rada voted to adopt constitutional reforms and laws to ensure the return of the second round of presidential elections in Ukraine.

January 2005 – Viktor Yushchenko (candidate from the west of Ukraine) was elected the President of Ukraine.

Fall 2005 – Crisis of the «Orange Team». Resignation of the Government of the Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Signing of the memorandum between the Government and the opposition which enabled Viktor Yanukovych to return to Ukraine’s political arena.

01.01.2006 – After Constitutional reform Ukraine became a parliamentary-presidential republic.

Spring 2007 – Constitutional crisis caused by the unconstitutional formation of the parliamentary coalition . President Yushchenko dissolved the parliament.

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in Ukraine30.09.2007 – Fall 2009 – Early parliamentary elections, Parliamentary crisis, reformatting of the ruling coalition followed by the economic crisis in Ukraine.

January 2010 – Presidential elections.

25.02.2010 – Viktor Yanukovych (candidate from the East of Ukraine) became the President of Ukraine. For the first time since Ukraine’s independence in 1991.

21.04.2010 – Signing of the «Kharkiv Accords» – the treaty between Ukraine and Russia which stipulated the 25-year extension of lease of naval facilities in Crimea by the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation.

25.09.2010 – Municipal elections that were not recognized by the EU and the U.S. as free and fair. The ruling Party of Regions was reported to have extended its influence over the country.

30.09.2010 – Constitutional Court of Ukraine illegally canceled Constitutional reform of 2004. Ukraine became presidential-parliamentary republic.

November – December 2010 – Kyiv became the center of mass protests [later called «Tax Maidan»] of private entrepreneurs against the new Tax Code.

Summer 2012 – Ukraine together with Poland hosted the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship «Euro 2012».

July 2012 – Adoption of the law on languages, where Russian language received “a special status”. Consequently, the law triggered public protests in Ukraine.

28.09.2012 – Parliamentary elections. The ruling Party of Regions managed to maintain its parliamentary majority.

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November 21st – 30th, 2013 – Ukrainian Government decided to suspend Ukraine’s European integration. President Yanyukovych didn’t sign the Association Agreement on European Integration at Vilnius Summit. The beginning of Euromaidan mass protests.

November 30th – December 1st, 2013 – Hundreds of protesters were brutally beaten by the riot police Berkut. The protesters set up a tent camp on the Kyiv central square Maidan Nezalezhnosti [Independence Square – Eng.].

January 16th, 2014 – The Parliamnent adopted unconstitutional laws which led to escalation of the confrontation between now millions of protesters and police across the country.

18 – 20th February 2014 – Mass deaths of protesters and police officers on Maidan in Kyiv.

February 22th, 2014 – President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych fled from his office, Parliament voted for his deposition.

February 27th, 2014 – The Ukrainian Parliament appointed the current Government, led by the interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

March 18th, 2014 – Russian annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

April 2014 – The beginning of the armed attacks by the terrorists in Donbas area of Ukraine.

May 25th, 2014 – Early presidential elections.

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in Ukraine

LATEST PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS IN UKRAINEThe vast majority of Ukrainians don’t support Russian intervention in Ukraine and think Ukraine should remain a united, unitary state with strong ties to the EU. These were the results of a recent (April 2014) survey conducted in Ukraine by the public opinion and market research company Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization on behalf of the International Republican Institute (IRI). Despite Russia’s claims to the contrary, almost two-thirds of Russian-speaking citizens and eastern Ukrainians don’t want Russian “protection”. More than half of Russian speakers strongly approve the interim Government. According to IRI polling, there is a striking difference between the Russian propaganda and the true opinions of Ukrainians.

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Russian-speaking Ukrainians don’t need protectionThe overwhelming majority of respondents – 85 % of the national population – remain opposed to Moscow’s sending troops to «protect» Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine. About 92 % of Ukrainian-speaking citizens responded that they were against Russia’s decision to send military units to Ukraine. Moreover, a large majority of respondents in eastern Ukraine – 69 %, and 68 % of Russian-speaking citizens – remain opposed to Russia’s intervention. Only 7 % of eastern Ukrainians answered “definitely yes” for a need to protect Russian speakers and ethnic Russians while 73 % don’t think that the Russian army should protect them.

Majority of Ukrainians believe in unitary stateOn the issue of national unity, two-thirds of Ukrainians think that Ukraine should remain a united, unitary state. Eastern Ukraine’s population does have a view slightly different than the rest of the country – 35 % want to live in a federal state and 40 % support a unitary Ukraine.

Ukrainians favor EU rather than Customs Union Interestingly, while 54 % of all Ukrainians have a desire to join the EU, only 27 % of eastern Ukrainians want stronger ties with the EU. However, 57 % of all Ukrainians and 29 % of eastern Ukrainians are opposed to Ukraine joining the Customs Union with Russia. This demonstrates the generally pro-European orientation of Ukrainian citizens.

Ukrainian support the current interim GovernmentDespite the fact that Ukrainians remain very critical of politicians,more than half (52 %) approve of the job of the Interim Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and 53 % have a favorable opinion of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Such support is really high in comparison to European states, where the proportion of Europeans who tend not to trust national governments is about 72 %, according to the European Commission report.

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in UkraineInterestingly, no more than 15 % of the population of southern European countries, including Portugal, Spain, Greece, and Italy, support their national Governments.

The data was collected throughout Ukraine on April 3rd – 12th, 2014 through face-to-face interviews at respondents’ residences. The sample consisted of 1,200 permanent residents of Ukraine aged 18 and older who are eligible to vote.

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TANGIBLE ACHIEVEMENTS OF UKRAINE’S INTERIM GOVERNMENT AFTER 3 MONTHS IN OFFICEThe signing of Ukraine-EU Association Agreement, removal of EU tariffs on imports of Ukrainian goods, streamlining of the licensing process in the agricultural sector – these were just some notable accomplishments of Ukraine’s interim Government since February 27th, 2014. Other achievements included the reduction of taxes on medicine, the establishment of the National Guard, reform of the judicial sector, strengthening of anti-corruption policy, introduction of new decentralization policy, and negotiation of energy reform.

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in UkraineAssociation Agreement between Ukraine and the EURemarkably, on March 21st, 2014 Ukraine and the European Union signed an Association Agreement which had been in the works for the past three years but had not been finalized by the Yanukovych administration. In addition, Ukraine and the European Union have agreed to remove all tariffs applied on Ukrainian goods which are exported to Europe. This measure creates a better environment for the turnaround of goods and is expected to result in an extra economic benefit of about EUR 500 million, as reported Ukraine’s interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Financial aid negotiationsUkraine’s interim Government has conducted financial aid negotiations with the US, Japan, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The IMF has approved a USD 17.1 billion loan to help stabilize the country’s economy.

New economic policyThe new economic policy of the interim Ukrainian Government has been focused on reducing government spending, lowering the number of public servants, decreasing the size of the state carport and lowering additional payments to governmental officials. Within the past 80 days the state budget has received more than UAH 16 billion in taxes, which is approximately UAH 203.4 million more than during the same period last year.

Improvements in business sectorTo address the business and agricultural sectors Ukraine’s Parliament adopted the law «On amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine to reduce the number of permit documents». This policy aims to simplify the licensing process and establishes transparent and fair rules for business operations, and aims to improve the investment climate in agricultural sector.

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Improvements in human rights sectorReforms in human rights protection and the judicial sector are emphasized in the new law “On restoring trust in the court system of Ukraine”. This law introduces the means and mechanisms for enabling lustration of judges in Ukraine. The Government of Ukraine has unanimously voted in favor of establishing a Special Commission within the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine which would conduct monitoring missions to ensure that human rights of all prisoners and detained persons are ensured in all respective institutions.

Liberalization of visa regime with the EUThe Ukrainian Parliament has also adopted laws for starting the process of eliminating the need to receive EU visas for Ukrainian citizens. Those include laws on “Anti-corruption policy strengthening”, “Public procurement”, amendments to the Customs and Tax Codes on tax reduction for medicine (from 20 % to 7 %), as well as laws on the EU visa liberalization system.

Improvements in social protection and education sectorsThe social security and education systems have been upgraded with a new social protection program for refugees and a new law on “Higher Education”. The new law provides universities with more autonomy and more advanced mechanisms for preventing corruption. A gradual cancellation of subsidies, which has a great impact on Ukrainian budget, has been one of the IMF’s conditions for providing the next tranche of loans and for improving the gas market sector. Therefore Ukraine’s newly-introduced energy reform is designed to gradually increase gas tariffs for the households.

Diversification of energy resourcesAdditionally, Ukraine, Slovakiya, Hungary and Poland have agreed on simplifying the reverse supply of natural gas. Ukraine is also involved in ongoing negotiations with the U.S., the EU and other countries on how to improve its energy efficiency. The Government presented a new concept of

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in Ukrainedecentralization of the regions and local authorities in the bill «On the cooperation of local communities» and agreed with the EU about cooperation at all stages of local government reform and the introduction of the effective regional policy.

Military reformThe situation in Crimea and eastern Ukraine forced the Ukrainian Government to start reforming the military sector. In light of the military threat initiated by the Russian Federation at Ukraine’s eastern border, Ukraine’s Government has decided to reform its military sector, increase its budget, open donation accounts and establish a National Guard.

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?EARLY PRESIDENTIALELECTIONS IN UKRAINEMAY 25th, 2014FAQ

Why is the presidential election taking place now? In November 2013, in response to a decision of the Government led by President Viktor Yanukovych not to proceed with an Association Agreement with the European Union, Ukrainians went to the streets to protest. The public dissatisfaction instantly developed into a general rejection of the corruption and lackluster performance of the Yanukovych Government. In February 2014, the standoff between the protesters and the authorities escalated into violent clashes in which more than 100 people lost their lives. President Yanukovych fled the country and a new Government came to power. Among the first acts of the new Government was to schedule early presidential elections for May 25th. In addition to the presidential election, a number of local council and mayoral elections, as well as a parliamentary by-election are to be held on May 25th. What is the role of the President in Ukraine? Under Ukraine’s Constitution, the President is the Head of State and guarantor of State sovereignty and territorial indivisibility of Ukraine. However, day-to-day executive power is in the hands of the Government, which is led by a Prime Minister appointed by the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian Parliament – Eng]. The President represents the nation in international relations, conducts negotiations and concludes international treaties, and is also Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Army. The President also nominates the Defense and Foreign Affairs Ministers. In order to secure a balance between State bodies, the President has veto power after Parliament passes any law. Ukraine has had four Presidents since 1991. Ukrainian Presidents are limited to two consecutive terms, but there is no limit on

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in Ukraine

?the number of nonconsecutive terms. The term of office of a President is five years.

Who will observe the presidential elections? Ukrainian law allows for observation of elections by both domestic civil society organizations and international organizations. Ukrainian Civil Network OPORA together with Ukrainian Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU) will also be carrying out a nationwide election observation effort. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) will lead an international observation mission. OSCE/ODIHR has already deployed a core team of experts and about 100 long-term observers and expects to deploy another 900 short-term observers right before the elections, making this one of the largest observation missions of its kind. In addition to the OSCE/ODIHR mission, a number of other international groups will be sending election observation missions, including the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), and Canadian Election Observation Mission (CANEOM). A full list of Ukrainian and international observers can be found on the CEC website: http://www.cvk.gov.ua/

What type of electoral system will be used in the May 25th election? The President is elected directly by eligible voters through a two-round majoritarian system, with no minimum voter turnout requirements. The election is conducted in one electoral district comprised of the entire territory of Ukraine and voters abroad. A candidate must receive a majority of the vote in order to be elected. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round of voting on May 25th, a second round will be held on June 15th between the two candidates who received the most votes.

What is the legal framework for elections in Ukraine? The legal framework for elections in Ukraine consists of

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Constitution of Ukraine, the Law on Election of the President of Ukraine adopted in March 5th, 1999 (as amended), the Law on the Central Election Commission and the Law on the State Voter Register, all of which have been recently amended. Who is eligible to vote? The constitution provides for universal, equal, direct suffrage by secret ballot to all legally competent individuals 18 years of age or older. The Law on Presidential Elections states that voting for President is a voluntary right, and no influence can be exerted upon citizens to have them participate or not participate in the election. It also stipulates that Ukrainian citizens, living outside of the country, maintain their right to vote and all other electoral rights granted to citizens.

Who can be a candidate?Anyone 35 years of age or older who has permanently resided within Ukraine for the 10 years preceding the election can seek election for President. Exceptions to this, outlined in the constitution, include persons who have served as President of Ukraine for the two previous terms and persons “recognized by court as legally unfit, as well as citizens kept in places of confinement by a court sentence.”The Law on Election of the President of Ukraine further prohibits individuals who are citizens of another country from being registered as candidates. Persons holding a public office are permitted to run for President and are not required to resign their office, but they are prohibited from using their position to campaign.Candidates can be nominated by political parties that are entitled to take part in election, or can self-nominate. According to current law, a candidate must submit a comprehensive set of registration documents and forms, together with a document certifying that he or she has paid the deposit amount of UAH 2.5 million (about USD 208,000).

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in UkraineWhat are the rules governing the media? The election campaign in the media can be held in the form of public debate and discussion, round table discussions, press conferences, interviews, speeches, political advertising, TV ads, videos and other publications and reports on the candidate for President of Ukraine, the party that nominated candidates, and other forms that do not contradict the laws and Constitution of Ukraine.Candidates are eligible to receive free television, radio and print media campaign advertising from State-funded media outlets. Candidates and political parties receive 30 minutes of campaign advertisements from every State-funded television and radio station (this time should be divided into two equal parts). State-funded newspapers – «Golos Ukrainy» and «Uryadoviy Kuryer» – are required to print free election platforms of the candidates for President of Ukraine in a special edition. Private and State broadcasters can organize candidate debates before the first round; State broadcast media are obliged to organize a debate between the two candidates contesting a possible second round.

What are the rules for campaign finance? The Presidential Election Law requires each candidate to maintain two designated campaign bank accounts: an election funds account and an election expenditures account. All contributions to the campaign must be deposited into the electoral fund account and all expenditures must be made by bank transfer from the expense account. There are no limits to campaign spending. A presidential campaign can be financed from; - The candidates’ private funds (unlimited); - Individual donations from physical persons (not more than 400 minimum salaries – some UAH 490,000 – under USD 41,000); - Funds from the party that nominated the candidate (unlimited).

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Donations from foreign citizens, anonymous sources and legal entities are forbidden. Candidates file financial disclosure forms in the prescribed form with the Central Election Commission no later than 15 days after Election Day.

LIST OF THE REGISTERED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR the MAY 25th ELECTION

The Central Election Commission (CEC) registered 23 candidates:

• Olha Bogomolets, self-nominated; • Yuriy Boyko, self-nominated; • Mykhailo Dobkin, self-nominated (supported by the Party of Regions); • Andriy Hrynenko, self-nominated;

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in Ukraine• Anatoliy Hrytsenko, nominated by the Civil Position Party; • Oleksandr Klymenko, nominated by the Ukrainian People’s Party; • Valeriy Konovalyuk, self-nominated; • Nataliya Korolevska, self-nominated; • Vasyl Kuybida, nominated by the People’s Movement of Ukraine; • Renat Kuzmin, self-nominated; • Oleh Lyashko, nominated by the Radical Party of Oleg Lyashko; • Mykola Malomuzh, self-nominated; • Petro Poroshenko, self-nominated (supported by the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms – UDAR); • Vadym Rabinovych, self-nominated; • Volodymyr Saranov, self-nominated; • Zoryan Shkiryak, self-nominated; • Petro Symonenko, nominated by the Communist Party of Ukraine; • Serhiy Tihipko, self-nominated; • Oleh Tsaryov, self-nominated;• Vasil Tsushko, self-nominated; • Oleh Tyahnybok, nominated by the All-Ukrainian Union Svoboda; • Yulia Tymoshenko, nominated by Batkivshchyna; • Dmytro Yarosh, self-nominated (supported by the Right Sector Party).

On May 2th, 2014, the CEC adopted resolutions, which cancelled the registration of presidential candidates Nataliya Korolevska and Oleh Tsaryov, based on their written applications to withdraw from the race. After May 2nd, further withdrawals are not allowed. Therefore, it is expected that a total of 21 candidates will compete in the forthcoming elections.Presidential Candidates:

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According to TSN Poll made by GFK Ukraine the 5 top candidates are: Petro Poroshenko (Self-nominated)Petro Poroshenko, born September 26th 1965, is a Ukrainian businessman and politician, who announced on March 29th that he will run for President of Ukraine. Poroshenko was a former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Trade and Economic Development. He is sometimes cited as one of the most influential people in Ukrainian politics. http://www.poroshenko.com.ua/Contact information:Press center: +38 (066) 663 54 54http://programaporoshenka.com/

Yulia Tymoshenko (nominated by Batkivshchyna)Yulia Tymoshenko, born November 27th 1960, is a Ukrainian politician and businesswoman. She co-led the Orange Revolution and was the first female Prime Minister of Ukraine, serving from January 24th to September 8th, 2005, and again from December 18th, 2007, to March 4th, 2010.http://www2.tymoshenko.ua/Contact information: Press center: + 38 (067) 323 60 39

Serhiy Tihipko (Self-nominated)Serhiy Tihipko, born February 13th, 1960, is a Ukrainian politician and finance specialist who has been Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine. Tihipko was a Minister of Economy in 2000 and subsequently served as Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine from 2002 to 2004. Tihipko was also former Minister of Social Policy.http://tigipko.com/Contact information:Press center: +38 (044) 238 38 48, + 38 (044) 481 48 63, +38 (067) 243 49 75Oleh Lyashko (nominated by the Radical Party)

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in UkraineOleh Lyashko, born March 12th 1972, is a Ukrainian politician, member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; journalist, and the leader of the Radical Party. In 1998 he graduated from the Faculty of Law at H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University.http://liashko.ua/Contact information:Press center: +38 (097) 522 27 58, +38 (093) 722 69 67http://rpl.kiev.ua/

Anatoliy Hrytsenko (nominated by the Civil Position Party)Anatoliy Hrytsenko, born October 25th 1957, is a Ukrainian politician, independent member of the current Ukrainian parliament, former Minister of Defense, member of Our Ukraine political party and leader of the Civil Position Party. On June 23th, 1979, he graduated with honors from Kyiv Higher Military Aviation Engineering School. On October 30th, 1995, he graduated from the Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.http://2014.grytsenko.com.ua/Contact information:Press center: +38 (044) 383 38 72, +38 (067) 891 91 26

Сеntral Election Commission1, Lesia Ukrainka Sq., 01196, Kyiv, Ukraine tel.+38 (044) 286-84-62e-mail: post@cvk.gov.uahttp://www.cvk.gov.ua/vnd_2012_en/

SHORT VOCABULARY:

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WHAT’S IN A WORDWhen you hear these words in Ukraine – know what they mean:

Nationalists – positive, democratically oriented, very patriotic people who want their country to succeed in all fields.

Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens – Ukrainians, who use Russian language in their daily lives.

Separatists and Terrorists – pro-Russian collaborators who are paid to perform actions to divide Ukraine.

Eastern Ukraine – eastern regions of the country – usually includes Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk – which border on the Russian Federation and currently are under attack by the pro-Russian collaborators and terrorists.

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in UkraineTityshki – unidentified mob and hooligans, often considered to be mercenary agents who are paid to perform illegal acts of street beatings, carjacking and kidnappings, etc.

«Zeleny Cholovichky» – Green Men – Russians Special Forces(Spetsnaz) dressed in camouflage green without anyidentification who seize control of some administrative buildingin the eastern Ukraine and Crimea.

Banderivtsi – term used by Russian propagandists together with such terms as “Junta” and “fascists” to describe participants in the Ukrainian pro-European Euromaidan protest movement and the interim Ukrainian Government. The actual Banderivtsi from the 1940s were not fascists, but members of the Ukrainian Nationalist Movement of the WWII, which opposed the Soviet Union and were fighting for Ukraine’s Independence. Soviet and Russian propaganda has always described Banderivtsi as fascists, and now the Russian government uses this term to discredit the interim Ukrainian Government.

Pravyi Sector – “Right Sector” – a civic movement and political party with right-wing oriented nationalistic Ukrainian ideology, which emerged in November 2013 as an alternative movement to the Ukrainian opposition, demanding changes and the resignation of the Yanukovych Government. Right Sector is often considered the most radical organization in Ukraine, but it has zero representatives in Ukraine’s parliament and has never been implicated in any crimes on the grounds of ethnic, religious, and/or racial discrimination.

Revolution of Dignity – the Euromaidan Revolution, which was aimed at changing life in Ukraine, fighting corruption, demanded European integration, and called for the resignation of President Yanukovych and his Government.

Maidan – the square in central Kyiv where several Ukrainian revolutions, including Euromaidan, took place.

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Antymaidan – opposed to Euromaidan, a pro-Russian and pro-Yanyukovych group of protesters who organized demonstrations in Ukraine.

AutoMaidan – a part of Euromaidan protest activists who sought the resignation of the former Ukrainian President Yanukovych and his Government. It was made up of drivers/activists who often protested in front of the estates of Yanykovych and his supporters in the Government. The Audomaidan activists took an active part in Euromaidan and blocked the streets to impede the movement/actions of hostile riot police Berkut against peaceful protesters.

Marionette – Russian-installed proxies.

Self-proclaimed leaders – illegitimate leaders.

Berkut – the former special force riot police unit which was proven to have been participated in killing more than 100 protesters during Euromaidan demonstrations. After the dramatic Euromaidan events that drove ex-President Viktor Yanukovych from the office, Ukraine’s interim Government eliminated Berkut. Currently Berkut is part of the Crimean police, and is incorporated into the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The National Guard of Ukraine – a military force with law enforcement functions which is a part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior. It was formed by Euromaidan self-defense activists in March 2014. It emerged as an urgent response to the Russian military intervention in Crimea and in the east of Ukraine. The goal of the National Guard of Ukraine is to protect the life, safety, rights, freedoms, and interests of Ukrainian citizens. It also serves to protect the Ukrainian society and state, ensure public security, protect state borders, and deter terrorist activities.

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Pocket Guidebook to Early Presidential Elections in Ukraine

Resources used:• International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Elections in Ukraine May 25th Early Presidential Election. FAQ section;

• IRI Survey by the Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization (April 2014);

• Law “On Election of the President of Ukraine,” March 5th, 1999 (with amendments from February 28th, March 13th, April 8th and May 6th, 2014);

• Law “On the Central Election Commission,” June 30th, 2004;

• Law “On the State Voter Register,” February 22th, 2007;

• CEC website on Presidential Elections in Ukraine.

Information was assembled by the Ukraine Crisis Media Center, located in the hotel Ukraina (4 Instytutska Street), 3rd floor. Hotline+38 050 157 8159, +38 050 157 8423, fax +38 044 593 7407, e-mail: press@uacrisis.org. For more information please visit uacrisis.org, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube. Additional Information:Ukraine Crisis Media Center was created through the joint effort of leading Ukrainian experts in the field of international relations, communications and public relations, which have agreed to provide their time and experience for free in order to help Ukraine getting a strong voice in the global dialogue about the latest happenings. The Center is not funded by any political party and remains a solely public initiative.

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