Ukraine kicks off early parliamentary election campaign

KIEV - Ukraine on Thursday started a two-month campaign for an early parliamentary election in October, the country's electoral authority said.

The competitive political parties have the rights to register their candidates before Sept.16, while self-nominated candidates may submit application to contest for the race until Sept. 26, said the Central Election Commission (CEC) on its website.

The eighth Ukrainian parliamentary elections, scheduled for Oct. 26, will be conducted under a mixed system. ' Crimean residents, who consider themselves as Ukrainians will have the opportunity to vote in calm Ukrainian regions.

The polling stations will also be set up in the government-controlled areas in the eastern Lugansk and Donetsk regions, where confrontation between government troops and independence-seeking insurgents is underway.

According to the Ukrainian law, the elections could be considered as legitimate if at least one polling station works in every constituency.

According to the preliminary estimations of the CEC, the country will spend around 71 million U.S. dollars on the election.

The announcement about early parliamentary election in Ukraine came on Monday, after President Petro Poroshenko dissolved the parliament.

The current lawmakers will assume their responsibility until the new legislative body is elected.