Melnychenko Might Become Member of Parliament

The Supreme Court of Ukraine has overturned the June 3 resolution of the Central Electoral Commission, which denied former presidential security officer Major Mykola Melnychenko the right to participate in the 2002 parliamentary elections, reports Interfax-Ukraine. A Supreme Court press service statement reads that the Central Electoral Commission is obliged to reconsider Major Melnychenko’s application, taking into account the European Court for Human Rights ruling of October 19, 2004, in the case Melnychenko Versus Ukraine. The Supreme Court’s ruling is final and cannot be contested. Mykola Melnychenko had been struck off the election roster of the Socialist Party of Ukraine during the 2002 parliamentary election campaign. The Central Electoral Commission motivated its decision by alleging that Melnychenko did not provide accurate information about the place and duration of his residence in Ukraine. In October 2004 the European Court for Human Rights ruled in Melnychenko’s favor and awarded him compensatory damages of 5,000 euros. The European Court did not satisfy any other demands contained in the lawsuit filed by the former presidential security officer.