A vast number of infringements took place during the Ukrainian snap election in July

Press release by MEP Andrea Bocskor

The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs held a debate on the Ukrainian snap election of July 21. During the meeting, a number of MEPs praised the democratic, well-organized election. Fidesz MEP Andrea Bocskor however highlighted that a vast number of infringements took place during the election and the election campaign that had serious negative impacts on Transcarpathian Hungarians.

“Contrary to Ukrainian law, the Central Election Commission did not delineate Hungarian-majority voting districts, where Hungarian representatives would have had a realistic chance of getting elected into Parliament,” said Andrea Bocskor. Instead, the Hungarian areas were divided into three voting districts with the percentage of Hungarian inhabitants below 30 percent. They failed to ensure equal opportunities, and the Hungarian representatives faced significant disadvantages. Each district nominated a Hungarian representative, but their chances were hindered by the nomination of ‘clones’, the practice of buying votes and scaremongering. In one instance, activists campaigning for the Hungarian nominee were attacked in their homes and were subjected to legal proceedings.”

The Hungarian MEPs and their Romanian colleagues agreed that provocation targeting national minorities is commonplace in Ukraine and that it must must be resolved urgently, especially concerning the education and language laws. In addition, Ukraine ought to sort out its relations with its Central European neighbors as they support the democratic development of the country.

“The EP and the EU must exert pressure on Ukraine to ensure that the country respects its own laws and that national minorities enjoy rights not only on paper. I honestly hope that the authorities will investigate the infringements taking place during the elections,” said Bocskor following the debate.

Background: On July 23^rd, Andrea Bocskor sent a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, the new President of the European Commission; David Sassoli, the President of the European Parliament; Johannes Hahn, the Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations; Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; Joseph Daul, the President of the European People’s Party, as well as other MEPs and minority advocates to call attention to the infringements taking place during the Ukrainian snap elections.