Elections in the "DPR/ LPR" are possible only after the restoration of border control - author of the election ban draft law

Elections in occupied Donbas can be carried out only after regaining control over the border with Russia. MP and author of the draft law to ban holding of elections on the occupied territory Yuriy Derevyanko told that in his commentaries to OstroV.

"I registered a draft law to ban holding of elections (local and to the Verkhovna Rada) on the occupied territory of Donbass and annexed Crimea. The essence of the draft law is to introduce a ban on holding of elections until the Ukrainian government resumes control over these territories, until external border between Ukraine and Russia is under our control. The point is also that all our state bodies must function there. We understand that otherwise any elections will be fake, the expression of Ukrainian citizens’ will and indirect recognition of the fact that these territories are not occupied will be unreliable. It will also enable the Russian Federation to say that they are not the aggressors and didn’t occupy these territories, respectively, will ask for lifting of sanctions," - he said.

Yu.Derevyanko said that he saw no contradiction between his draft law and the Minsk agreements, according to which first elections on the occupied territory of Donbass must take place and only then control over the Ukrainian-Russian border will be resumed.

"To hold or not to hold the elections is the competence of the Verkhovna Rada but not certain people who signed the Minsk agreements. Representatives of the Ukrainian people must realize all the consequences and facts that will happen after these elections. The Minsk agreements are not yet a legal document which is ratified by the Verkhovna Rada," - said the MP.

He expressed confidence that the deputies would understand risks of the elections and support his draft law.

"I think that the number of colleagues in the Verkhovna Rada will be big enough" - said Yu.Derevyanko.

The MP believes that parliamentary committees will begin consideration of the draft law next week and it will be included on the agenda.

"It is a very important issue for today and the rhetoric which sounds today on the part of the aggressor and the adherents (the Opposition bloc), it is very dangerous in terms of how to form the opinion that they (the elections - OstroV) are the best for Ukraine," - he said.

Yesterday a draft law was registered in the Parliament to ban the elections of MPs of Ukraine and local elections on the temporarily occupied territory.