Debates

Wednesday, 12 December 2012 - Strasbourg

Situation in Ukraine (debate)

  Nick Griffin (NI). - Mr President, I was an international observer in the Ukraine elections. I had unrestricted access in Kiev to polling stations, election officials and party activists.

I have seen corrupt elections where gangs of thugs sponsored by the prime minister attack opposition activists; where council workers are threatened with losing their jobs if they vote the wrong way on ballot papers that carry traceable serial marks; where two million voters do not even exist but still vote by post; where, at the close of polls, unsealed ballot boxes are taken to central counting places by unsupervised officials; where the election officials are appointed by the local ruling party. But all these assaults on democracy go on routinely in the United Kingdom. In Ukraine I saw a robust and well-designed system, ensuring elections which, while not perfect, are much freer and fairer than those in Britain.

EU hypocrites do not have any right to criticise Ukrainian elections.