Ukraine’s CEC bars Saakashvili’s party from elections

Ukraine’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has refused to register candidates from the Rukh (Movement) of New Forces founded by ex-Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili at the upcoming snap parliamentary elections scheduled for July 21, the commission’s press service reported.

"The elections to the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) were announced on May 21. However, the party submitted the documents, which show that the council of the Movement of New Forces considered issues related to participation in the elections as early as May 8," TASS cited the CEC as saying.

In light of that, the Central Election Commission noted that the party’s extraordinary convention had been convened and held, and the list of the candidates was endorsed in breach of the requirements of the party’s charter.

The CEC earlier did not allow candidates from the Union of Left Forces and the Communist Party to take part in the elections.