The acting Mayor of Kharkiv Gennady Kernes said on the first day of the week that the territorial election Commission of the city completes the counting of votes on elections in the estimated authorities, and, according to him, he is gaining about 64% of voters came to the polls.

"at this time it is estimated more than 96% of ballots on elections of the mayor, and the result is 96% as long as the city Manager Kernes - 64, a 64%," - said the Acting Mayor on air of TV channel " ".

first it was claimed that, according to exit polls conducted by all-Ukrainian public organization "Committee of voters of Ukraine" on elections Kernes the mayor of Kharkov gaining 59, 3% of voters came to the polls, winning in the first round.

Elections of the mayor of Kharkov, as in other regions of Ukraine, passed on Sunday under the new law. In the cities with population over 90 thousand people entered the system of election of mayors in 2 rounds to win, the candidate must receive 50% plus one vote, or to have a gap from the nearest competitor in 20% of the votes, on the other will be assigned the second round.

Kernes was elected in October 2010 from the then ruling Party of regions. During the rule of President Viktor Yanukovych, Kernes very closely cooperated with the government, supported the former President during protests in 2013-2014. After the change of government in February 2014 for Kharkiv mayor fell on hard times: he did not support the new government, survived an attempt on his life (now has a wheelchair) and was on the bench of the accused.

In the summer of 2014 with regard to him was prosecuted under the criminal code, and in the autumn of 2015 over the Kernes started the trial. The Prosecutor General's office of Ukraine accuses Kharkiv mayor and his guards in the kidnapping and beating of participants of "euromaidan" in March 2014. If guilt Kernes will prove, to it threatens from five till ten years of prison sentences he himself rejects all accusations own the address and called the case " politically motivated ".

sections: Politics