EC urges Kyiv to establish reliable electoral system with equal media access for candidates

The European Commission has again urged Ukraine to hold the reform of its electoral system as well as constitutional reform.

The commission made these recommendations in its report on the implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy by Ukraine in 2012 published in Brussels on Wednesday. The European Commission believes that Ukraine needs to take early steps "to establish a reliable electoral system based on an Election Code and clear rules for balanced media access for candidates." In addition, Kyiv needs to fully implement the OSCE-ODIHR's recommendations on the conduct of the October 2012 parliamentary elections and address the shortcomings, in line with the public commitments made by the prime minister of Ukraine in his dialogue with the opposition. The commission also urges Kyiv to ensure that the constitutional reform process "is carried out in an inclusive and transparent way in line with all constitutional norms and in close cooperation with the Council of Europe/Venice Commission."