"The Interior Ministry and new National Police of Ukraine are completely depoliticized. This means that for the Government, Interior Ministry, National Police does matter neither the name of a party nor political slogans and flags. The only thing that matters - the law and protection of the rights of citizens of Ukraine as to electing local deputies and the right to run for and be elected," Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk pointed out at a board meeting of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine on the preparation of the law enforcement agencies for ensuring order during local elections on Tuesday, October 20.

"The National Police and law enforcement officers do not serve personalities in the government but they do serve the Ukrainian people. And regardless of who is in power, there is only one system of responsibility - a responsibility before the Ukrainian people within the limits set by law," said the Prime Minister.

"We already have the experience of holding fair and transparent elections – I mean the presidential and parliamentary campaigns last year. They were recognized by the OSCE and our Western partners as such that meet the highest standards of the electoral process," the Prime Minister reminded.

He emphasized that the local elections of October 25 should also be recognized as fair and transparent.

"Standard violations of the election process, unfortunately, continue to remain a reality," he stressed. According to him, bribery of voters is the basis of these violations. "This is one of the ways to change the will of Ukrainian citizens."

According to the PM, tasks of the law enforcement agencies "is not just documenting these facts but investigation and bringing to justice of these cases. In that case, if there is no punishment, then it is impossible to eradicate vote buying."

The Prime Minister stressed that all the internal affairs bodies in synergy with the Security Service of Ukraine and the entire law enforcement system should make every effort to curb political corruption: "Today they buy votes and tomorrow they will return back their funds for the bribery of voters, parcel out lands, communal enterprises and embezzle the local budget. The fight against corruption and political corruption begins during the election. Less corrupt politicians come to power, less corruption we will have within the country."

Arseniy Yatsenyuk noted that for the first time the local elections will be held in compliance with new "complex electoral legislation": "The Central Election Commission had to train members of polling site commissions and regional election commissions to follow this law, as there exist certain technical difficulties in the counting of votes and summarizing of voting results".

Alongside with that Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed to the Internal Affairs employees to hold meetings with members of the PSC and REC: "I call on all the regions and districts on the eve of the ballot day to summon public meetings with members of site commissions and regional election commissions to make them realize their liability to the law for any attempts for vote rigging."

Another task, according to the Head of Government, is to maintain contacts with NGOs, observers and all participants of the electoral process "and immediate response to any facts or attempts to distort the will of the Ukrainian people".

Arseniy Yatsenyuk reminded that the elections of mayors in certain areas would be hold in two rounds: "The electoral process won’t be finished on October 25. We will have to keep abreast and work to ensure the second round of the electoral process being legitimate, transparent and fair".