Vitrenko out of the race

By Online Editor -
Nataliya Vintrenko, serial "Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine" candidate, has been excluded from the Presidential race for failing to pay the 2.5 million deposit. Oblivious to the law or the ruling of Ukraine's Constitutional Court she offered to pay the Central Election Commission only 1,964 hryvina.

Vitrenko was quick to claim that the refusal of the CEC to register her was a violation of her constitutional rights.

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine had ruled previously that the deposit requirement was constitutional.  The deposit was designed to limit frivolous nominations from candidates that had no real chance of success, it was put in place as an alternative provision to collecting 1.5 million signatures and the need for the CEC to verify the signatory list

Vitrenko in the past has struggled to receive support. In 2006 she missed out on a seat in Parliament having only received 2.9% of the vote, falling 0.1% short of the 3% threshold. In 2007 the "Progressive Socialist Party", headed by Vitrenko, received only 1.3% support.

Vitrenko would have known of the 2,5 million deposit requirement and the ruling of the Constitutional Court, if not she should have known.

Had she been registered, like Yushchenko and other candidates, she would have lost the election and forfeited her deposit in the first round.

Her actions were clearly designed to fail and provide her another opportunity of cause to complain about everything and anything.

The CEC decision to exclude her was a correct one, based on the law and Ukraine's Constitution. Viktenko would have been offered a chance to make the payment in order to validate her nomination.

With Vitrenko out of the race support for Oleanandr Moroz and Petro Symonenko will increase but not sufficiently enough to make any difference both will also lose their deposit in the first round of voting

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