Democracy in times of war requires special protection. More than 130 civil society organizations have signed a statement that clearly outlines the position that elections cannot be held during wartime.
"The legitimacy of the Ukrainian government is the exclusive prerogative of the Ukrainian people. Any peace process must take into account the voice of Ukraine and the logical sequence of actions to restore electoral cycles:
1) a sustainable ceasefire under the security guarantees of the guarantor countries,
2) preparation for elections and restoration of the relevant infrastructure;
3) holding elections after achieving sustainable peace, lifting the legal regime of martial law and international legal settlement of the war," the statement reads.
It is worth noting that the statement's authors support holding the elections in Ukraine, but only after the war is over and sustainable peace is achieved.
"Ukraine has never refused to hold elections, but their organization requires time and resources, not demands," the authors emphasize.
The statement's signatories include the Civil Network "Opora," the Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition, the ZMINA Human Rights Center, the Chesno Movement, and dozens other organizations.
The Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research (UCIPR) also supports this statement and has already signed it.
We call on civil society organizations to support the statement: https://forms.gle/zocRU6FgaghZyaJW8.
To read the complete text, please follow the link: https://cutt.ly/ZrwMz39z.
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