KIEV, May 19 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine’s Communist Party, whose leader has been banned from withdrawing his candidacy for the presidency, will not recognize the results of the upcoming May 25 election, People’s Deputy Alexander Golub said.
“We will support neither candidate as we have no choice in Ukraine. Everything happening now is a farce and we acknowledge neither the results of this election nor the person who will be elected president,” Golub told RIA Novosti.
He added that the election cannot be held amid the special operation against peaceful citizens in eastern Ukraine, conducted by the country’s security services.
“It is evident that candidates did not have equal conditions and the consequences of this election will be absolutely insignificant,” he said.
Ukrainian Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko said Monday criminal cases could be launched against Communist Party leaders after an investigation into their alleged activities aimed at violating Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty is launched by law enforcement.
Acting Ukrainian President Oleksander Turchynov earlier sent a letter to the country’s Justice Ministry demanding an immediate ban on the Communist Party.
Ukraine underwent a regime change in February when the country’s parliament, backed by far-right movements, voted to strip President Viktor Yanukovych of his powers, amended the constitution and scheduled early presidential elections for May 25.
A total of 23 candidates were registered to take part in the poll, but several candidates later withdrew. Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko announced plans to withdraw, but the Central Election Commission said the move was against the law.
Moscow has cast doubt on the legitimacy of the Verkhovna Rada’s decisions and says that the legitimacy of the upcoming election will depend on a number of conditions, including transparency, fairness and taking the interests of the regions into account.
