Free access of Mass Media Representatives to public events related to the Presidential Elections in Ukraine is guaranteed by the Law of Ukraine “On the Elections of the President of Ukraine” (Part 4, Article 13).
Free access of Mass Media Representatives to meetings of Electoral Commissions and Polling Stations on the day of elections and on the day of the second voting is also guaranteed by the Law of Ukraine “On the Elections of the President of Ukraine” (Part 9, Article 28).
Mass Media Representatives (not more than two people from one Mass Media Entity) have the right to be present at meetings of Electoral Commissions without any permit and / or invitation from the Commissions, including the time of the calculating of votes and finding out the results of the voting. Mass Media Representatives can also be present at Polling Stations on the day of elections and on the day of the second voting. There are no time limits for being present at Polling Stations.
In order to cover the process of the elections directly at Polling Stations, Mass Media Representatives are obliged to show their Mass Media ID’s at the request of members of Electoral Commissions. Since Diplomatic Missions, other Representative Offices and Consulates of Ukraine abroad are controlled-access premises, Mass Media Representatives must notify in advance respective Ukrainian officials about their intentions to be present at Foreign Polling Stations located in such premises.
Since only one elector can be present in the electoral cubicle during the voting (except for disabled persons who need physical help of other person(s)), photo and video filming at the Polling Station is forbidden only in the electoral cubicles.
According to the Ukrainian legislation, nobody has the right to intervene into the activities of Electoral Commissions, including Mass Media Representatives, with the exception of special cases envisaged by the Ukrainian legislation.
According to the Ukrainian legislation, the Electoral Commission has the right to make a well-grounded decision to deny the right of Mass Media Representatives at the meeting of the Electoral Commission in case they illegally put obstacles on the way of holding the meeting.
Access to information
In order to obtain any information, including the information about voting process, it is necessary to apply directly to the respective Electoral Commission, namely to the Head of the Commission or his / her Deputy. Interviews with members of Electoral Commissions are to be organized and held individually, by mutual agreement of their participants and in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation.
Accreditation of Mass Media Representatives at the Central Electoral Commission
Mass Media Representatives, including technical personnel, must be accredited for the events at the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine. The accreditation process has already started and it will go on until 10 May 2014.
Permanent accreditation (for the whole period of preparing and holding the Presidential Elections in Ukraine) is obtained by sending a letter to the Head of the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine Mr. Mykhaylo Okhendovsky signed by the Head of the Mass Media Entity and stamped with its official stamp. The letter must contain the following information: request to accredit the Mass Media Representative(s) for the events to be held by the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine; the name of the Mass Media Entity; name(s), surname(s), middle name(s), position(s) of the Mass Media Representative(s). The letters can be sent by post (01196, Lesia Ukrayinka Sq. 1, Kyiv, Ukraine), e-mail ([email protected]; [email protected] cvk.gov.ua) or fax (+38 044 286 83 80).
Accreditation for a certain event is obtained by phone numbers +38 044 256 82 80, +38 044 286 80 71. The contact persons are Ms. Olena Tereshuk, Mr. Volodymyr Vyrva.
In order to freely bring equipment (including the equipment for the live broadcasting) to the Press Center of the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine and to place mobile technical stations at the territory of the Central Electoral Commission’s courtyard it is necessary to send respective requests with lists of the equipment to the Central Electoral Commission until 16 May 2014.