Ukrainian citizens who live in Transnistria will vote for Parliament only in Chisinau and Balti

The citizens of Ukraine living in the Transnistrian region of Moldova will have the possibility to vote on September 30 only in the polling stations located in Chisinau and Balti, the Embassy of Ukraine in Chisinau announces. Also, the Embassy of Ukraine informs that they will not be able to vote in the nearby Ukrainian districts. A representative of the Embassy told about the statements launched by several media institutions that the embassy “does not want” to open polling stations on the left side of Nistru for the parliamentary elections which will take place in autumn, that the rumours have no ground, in light of the fact that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry works according to the legal provisions of its own country and agreements signed with Moldova. According to the quoted source, the Ukrainian Law on the election of MPs says that the polling stations can be created within the diplomatic and other official representatives, consulates working abroad, military units which are disbanded abroad. The same Law stipulates that in certain cases it is possible to open polling stations outside the official representatives or consulates, but it is necessary to obtain the consent of the authorities of the territory where the elections are organised. In this specific case, the official Chisinau did not consider possible to give its consent for the creation of polling stations on the territory of Ukraine. According to the last agreements between Ukraine and Moldova in what concerns the participation of Ukrainian citizens in the parliamentary elections of this country, polling stations will be opened in Chisinau, at the headquarters of the Embassy of Ukraine and in Balti at the Ukrainian Consulate. The polling stations will be opened for voters between 7.00 and 23.00 on September 30, 2007, the date of the early Parliamentary elections in Ukraine, the Embassy of Ukraine informs, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. Yushchenko and his archrival, Viktor Yanukovych, agreed to hold snap elections in a bid to end the protracted political crisis in Ukraine, which was threatening to turn violent as troops loyal to both leaders were being drawn into the power struggle. The political standoff began on April 2 when Yushchenko accused his rivals of trying to "usurp power", dissolved parliament, and ordered new elections.