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Over 300 international observes registered for Ukrainian election

Earlier it was reported that there were no Russians among the OSCE observers registered to monitor the elections

KIEV, February 19. /TASS/. The Central Election Commission of Ukraine has registered 307 international observers so far for the presidential election set to take place on March 31, 2019.

"By processing the corresponding request, the commission has registered 3 official observers from the Federal Republic of Germany for the Ukrainian presidential election on March 31, 2019. Thus, as of February 19, 2019, the commission has registered 307 official observers from international organizations and foreign states," the Central Election Commission informed on the outcomes of Tuesday’s session.

On February 7, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (parliament) passed the law, under which individuals who are citizens a state recognized by the Verkhovna Rada as an aggressor country or an invader country" and also "individuals proposed [as observers] by a state recognized by the Verkhovna Rada as an aggressor country or an invader country" cannot monitor the presidential, parliamentary or local elections.

Earlier, the Central Election Commission of Ukraine has declined the request made by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the OSCE, and refused to accredit two long-term observers from Russia within the ODIHR mission.

The ODIHR does not support Ukraine’s position on the participation of Russian representatives in the international observer mission. Current head of the ODIHR observer mission Peter Taylor noted that Ukraine’s approach towards Russian observers does not correspond to the principles of the OSCE.

The Ukrainian presidential election will take place on March 31, 2019. Among those whose application was approved are showman Vladimir Zelensky, leader of Ukraine’s Batkivshchyna Party Yulia Timoshenko, leader of the Civil Initiative Party Anatoly Gritsenko and head of the Opposition Platform - For Life Yuri Boyko.