The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), after observing the 2006 mayoral elections in Cherkasy, notes that the election environment surrounding these local elections was generally free of pressure, intimidation or harassment against any political party or bloc or any individually represented political figure. ENEMO is a coalition of 19 leading civic organizations from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

From 23 to 26 November the central office of the committee of voters of Ukraine conducted trainings for representatives of Kazakh opposition party Alga (DVK).

November 23-24 OSCE/ODIHR conducted a first training for short-term observers (STOs)/ The training was held in OSCE Academy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 37 representatives of NGOs, MFAs, CECs from 15 participated in the event. From Ukraine, CVU international secretary Milena Zherdiy and CEC member Valeriy Sheludko took part.

Extraordinary mayor elections were conducted in Kirovohrad, Poltava and Chernihiv on November 26. The elections were scheduled by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine after elected city mayors had transferred to the parliament. The CVU monitored voting and vote tabulation procedures in all three cities. In Poltava, they have conducted an exit poll together with media agency Proryv.

«Kirovograd, Poltava and Chernigiv mayoral elections – the course of the campaign and possible threats» will take place on Thuesday, November 23 2006, at 11. 00 a. m, in UNIAN (Hreschatyk 4). A CVU report on results of three cities election campaigns’ monitoring will be presented at the press conference.

Zaporizhzhya oblast civic organization åhe Committee of voters of Ukraine representative took part in election observation in Tajikistan as a member of OSCE mission. He monitored Tajikistan presidential elections as STO.

Cherkassy oblast civic organization "The Committee of voters of Ukraine" lines the results of PVT on repeated mayoral elections that were held on November 5, 2006 in Cherkasy. Voting results were elaborated for about 80% polling stations. Information more than from 70% polling stations already confirmed with district election committees protocols’ copies with wet stamps.

In November, elections of city mayor will take place in four oblast centers of Ukraine. It will be the test for democracy of the Ukrainian election system. Therefore, Cherkasy city mayor will be elected on November 5, Kirovograd, Poltava and Chernigiv mayors — on November 26. Re-election of city mayors were scheduled because of invalidity of the previous voting results (in Kirovograd and Cherkasy) or shifting of elected city heads to other offices (Poltava, Chernigiv).

A round table “The state of political parties in Ukraine under parliament-presidential republic conditions” organized by Committee of Voters of Ukraine with support of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, will take place November 3, in Kiev, at Radisson SAS Hotel (Yaroslaviv Val 22).

On October 25, Sosnivka rayon court of Cherkasy city declared that Serhiy Odarych, candidate for Cherkasy city mayor, had violated the law on local election.

The round table discussion “The Must Election” devoted to re-election of Cherkasy city mayor, scheduled for November 5, 2006, will be held in the Violet Hall of the Rosava Hotel at 1. 00 p. m. on October 27.

In November, Ukraine faces mayoral elections in four cites, due to prove if the democratic atmosphere of last parliamentary elections was a new tendency, or an exception in Ukrainian electoral practice. International observers’ presence and evaluation be an important factor to shape the public opinion in Ukraine and abroad and also to develop the future strategy of monitoring organizations in Ukraine.

Cherkassy oblast civic organization “Committee of voters of Ukraine” expresses anxiety with the possible escalation of events on the eve of repeated Cherkassy mayoral elections, scheduled on November 5 2006. The situation with the city Territorial election commission poses a hazard on the legitimacy of the repeat elections.

Committee of voters of Ukraine and NGO Obcianske oko presented a common publication “Ukrainian electoral legislation: post-electoral assessment and recommendations”. Experts pointed to need of a single election code and also a new law on referendum. It was also noted, that a voter register should be improved.

On June 19, 2006, the all-Ukrainian NGO Committee of Voters of Ukraine appealed to heads and authorized representatives of parliamentary factions for establishing permanent relations with their constituency, Also, the CVU proposed specific methods for such cooperation.