Statements by People's Deputy Fedor Venislavskyi about the possibility of holding elections in Ukraine after the end of martial law have raised many questions. On Radio NV, the deputy said that holding elections under the current conditions is unlikely and can only happen after the elimination of threats to national security.
According to Fedor Venislavsky , martial law in Ukraine can be lifted only after threats to security, territorial integrity and state sovereignty are eliminated. At the moment, the situation remains unstable, as Russia continues to exert pressure on all fronts, including the south, east and Donbas.
The People's Deputy noted that it is difficult to make predictions about the end of martial law due to numerous factors, including political statements by world leaders and specific actions of the US administration towards Russia. Therefore, according to Venislavsky, it is worth refraining from hasty conclusions until the end of February 2024.
One of the key points in the deputy's statement was the issue of holding elections during the war, in particular in the event of a "freezing" of the front. Venislavsky stressed that even in the event of some stabilization at the front, holding elections under the conditions of occupation of a significant part of the territory of Ukraine and mass stay of citizens abroad is practically impossible.
In addition to physical obstacles, such as organizing voting in temporary camps abroad, according to the deputy, this will also call into question the legitimacy of the authorities by violating equal opportunities for all citizens to participate in the electoral process.
In particular, Venislavskyi gave the example of organizing elections abroad, when several thousand Ukrainian citizens faced chaos during voting. In such conditions, it was difficult to even provide voters with basic needs - water and food.
From the point of view of international law, the deputy added, elections can only be held on the territory of diplomatic missions or consular institutions, which are the sovereign territory of Ukraine.
As a result, the MP concluded that due to a number of factors, such as the occupation of territories, citizens staying abroad, and the lack of security guarantees and equal opportunities for campaigning, holding elections in Ukraine is currently difficult and could likely lead to doubts about the legitimacy of the government.
According to Venislavsky, elections are possible only after complete security is restored throughout Ukraine and equal opportunities are provided for all citizens to participate in the democratic process.
