Delegation of former legislators on election monitoring trip to Ukraine (09/19/04)

Delegation of former legislators on election monitoring trip to Ukraine

by Miriam Bates

WASHINGTON - The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation and the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress on September 13 announced the visit of a third delegation of presidential election observers to Ukraine during the period of September 18-25. The delegation of former members of the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag will hold meetings in Kyiv with U.S. Embassy officials, representatives of candidates and political parties participating in Ukraine's presidential election campaign, news media, international organizations and observers of the political process in Ukraine, before traveling to the Kherson region on September 21- 23.

The delegation is a fact-finding mission and will report its findings to Ukraine's Central Election Commission, the U.S. government, European governments, international organizations and the public through releases to the mass media. The delegation does not support any candidate or political party and is interested only in helping ensure that the presidential election is free and fair.

Members of the delegation are: former Congressmen Robin Beard (R-Tenn.), Lawrence DeNardis (R-Conn.), Lou Frey (R-Fla.), Don Ritter (R-Pa.) and Peter Torkildsen (R-Mass.) and former member of the German Bundestag Dr. Helga Otto. The delegation is certified as official election observers by the Central Election Commission of Ukraine.

This project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and managed by the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (USUF). The goal of the project is to strengthen democracy in Ukraine by helping to ensure free and fair elections. The government of Ukraine has invited election observers from throughout the world to observe its fourth presidential election since the country declared independence in August, 1991.

At least one more delegation of former legislators will observe this year's presidential election in Ukraine before the first round of voting takes place on October 31.

Since 1992, USAID has provided over $1.9 billion worth of technical and humanitarian assistance in support of Ukraine's democratic, economic and social transition.

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