Poll stations open in Ukraine

Kyiv – Observers from the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF), in association with Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) were up early on Sunday, Feb. 7, to monitor the beginning of voting in polling stations across the country. By various estimates, some 4,000 international observers are deployed throughout Ukraine. CUF’s election observation mission includes Members of Parliament James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake) and Gerard Kennedy (Parkdale-High Park).

As of 11 AM on Election Day, no gross violations had been reported from the field. Mr. Bezan is performing his observation duties in the capital city of Kyiv and surrounding regions, while Mr. Kennedy is monitoring the poll in the central Ukrainian oblast of Kirovohrad. The mission’s preliminary findings will be presented at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 1:30 PM. CUF has 110 observers registered with Ukraine’s Central Elections Commission.

MP Gerard Kennedy (Parkdale-High Park) with Canada-Ukraine Foundation’s mission, watches voter lists at polling station. (Photo by Natalia Toroshenko)

MP James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake), an election observer with Canada-Ukraine Foundation’s mission, watches commissioners work with voter lists at polling station #34, electoral district 219 in Kyiv on Feb. 7. (Photo by Steve Bandera)

MP James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake) and Canada Ukraine Foundation Election Observation Mission Head Bohdan Onyschuk (right) at polling station #34, electoral district 219 in Kyiv on Feb. 7. (Photo by Steve Bandera)

MP James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake) and Canada Ukraine Foundation Chief Election Observer Yarema Bachynsky (right) at polling station #34, electoral district 219 in Kyiv on Feb. 7. (Photo by Steve Bandera)

MP James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake), an election observer with Canada-Ukraine Foundation’s mission, inspects a voting booth at polling station #34, electoral district 219 in Kyiv on Feb. 7. (Photo by Steve Bandera)

Canada Ukraine Foundation Election Observation Mission Head Bohdan Onyschuk (left) and MP James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake) inspect ballot boxes at polling station #34, electoral district 219 in Kyiv on Feb. 7. (Photo by Steve Bandera)

MP James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake) and Canada Ukraine Foundation Election Observation Mission Head Bohdan Onyschuk (right) at polling station #34, electoral district 219 in Kyiv on Feb. 7. (Photo by Steve Bandera)