Zelensky: no local elections in Donbas at the barrel of machine guns
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine had agreed to the so-called Steinmeier formula. He also notes that local elections in Donbas can only take place under Ukrainian law and only after the troops are withdrawn and Ukraine regains control of the state border.
"Today, the last obstacles to the Normandy summit have been eliminated. I think we will know the date soon,” the Head of State said during a briefing on October 1.
He stressed that the so-called Steinmeier formula had become the biggest horror story in Ukraine in recent weeks, hence it needed clarification.
The President emphasized that it was a mechanism under which the temporary law on special order of local self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions - the so-called law on special status of Donbas would start working on a permanent basis after the holding of local elections in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine and the Ukrainian legislation, as well as after the publication of the OSCE’s report that the elections had been held under the OSCE and international standards of democratic elections.
"This means that there can be no elections at the barrel of machine guns," Volodymyr Zelensky noted.
“And another very important point is that the law on special status of Donbas is in force until December 31, 2019. A new law will be developed by the Parliament in close cooperation and open discussion with the public,” he added.
According to the Head of State, no “red line” will be crossed in the new law. “That is why there will be no capitulation,” the President said.
As regards the timing of the withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territories of Donbas and the prevention of holding the elections before the withdrawal, Volodymyr Zelensky said that it would be discussed during the Normandy format summit.
Source: President of Ukraine