Home > 5.1 Nature of the referendum > UKRAINE - Urgent Joint Opinion on the Draft Law 3612 on Democracy Through All-Ukraine Referendum
 
 
 
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Paragraph 89
 

While not a consistently established international practice, consideration could be given to provide for a certain amount of publicly funded media time and space for registered participants to communicate, on an equal basis, the rationale for their proponent or opponent side of the referendum issue. This could facilitate provision of balanced information to the public, particularly in circumstances where well-resourced large political parties, which can afford to purchase expensive media time and space, are skewed in favour of one side of the referendum issue. In addition, consideration could be given to require the public broadcaster (TV and radio) to provide an opportunity for televised debates between the proponents and opponents of the referendum issue, with equal allocation of time to each side. Such debates in referendums would provide an opportunity for voters to become well-informed on the differing sides of the referendum issue and the effects of the referendum outcome, facilitating them to make an informed choice at the ballot box.