Brussels, 08/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 4 April, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle announced that the European Commission had adopted aid of €5 million to support the OSCE election observation mission in Ukraine ahead of the presidential elections on 25 May.
“Pleased to announce EC adoption of €5 million package to support election observation mission and confidence-building measures in Ukraine”, Füle tweeted. The €5 million will also be used for other events in the electoral cycle until October 2015, said an EU source.
“This package is aimed primarily to support the OSCE in the deployment of election observers but also to support election-related confidence building measures in areas such as constitutional and legal reform, dialogue and mediation to avert election-related violence and capacity building of the central election commission on voter education”, said Füle's spokesperson, Peter Stano.
The aid is linked to the European Council's statement of 20 March encouraging the Ukrainian government to ensure the presidential election on 25 May is free and fair. It is also a practical response to “the real concerns of the Ukrainian authorities and civil society to support electoral observation and enhance the legitimacy of all elections foreseen in 2014-15”, said this EU source. (CG)