PACE to send observers to early elections in Ukraine

Rene van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, haswritten a letter to President Victor Yushchenko to confirm that PACE will send its observers to parliamentary elections in Ukraine, Secretariat Chief of Staff Viktor Baloha said on Tuesday, President's press office reported.

“In this message from Strasbourg, the Assembly Bureau emphasizes its appreciation of the significance of the September 30 poll. They are forming a special delegation of 40 representatives to monitor the election. Moreover, a commission of five delegates will arrive in Ukraine a month before the poll,” he said, adding that the letter showed that the international community considered Ukraine’s election as the sole way to resolve its long-lasting political crisis. “Unlike some Ukrainian politicians, Europe does not doubt the election will be held on September 30 and is getting ready to monitor it. This is another signal to those political forces which hope to upset the process. Their hopes are vain.”