Communists barred from elections

KYIV – Ukraine’s Justice Ministry has barred communists from running in upcoming local elections after the passage of new legislation. Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko said on July 24 that the Communist Party of Ukraine, the Communist Party of Ukraine’s Workers and Peasants, and the Reformed Communist Party of Ukraine will be barred from the October local elections. Mr. Petrenko also pledged to file a lawsuit to formally ban the parties. The Communist Party has been an important force in Ukrainian politics, polling 13 percent in the 2012 parliamentary elections, but its popularity plummeted following its support for pro-Russian ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, who was toppled by pro-European protests last year and is currently residing in Russia. In the 2014 parliamentary elections, the Communist Party of Ukraine received less than 4 percent of the vote. In 2000, the Communist Party of Ukraine split and two new Communist parties were formed – the Reformed Communist Party of Ukraine (also known as the Communist Party of Ukraine Renewed) and the Ukrainian Communist Party of Workers and Peasants. The two new Communist parties did not take part in parliamentary elections in 2012 and 2014. Communist Party of Ukraine leader Petro Symonenko said on July 24 that his party planned to take part in the election despite the ministry’s decision. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by the Associated Press, UNIAN, Interfax and pravda.ua)