European Solidarity insists on no elections during martial law or referendum – statement
The European Solidarity Party faction in the Verkhovna Rada (Eurosolidarity) has said it welcomes the start of the discussion of the draft points of the plan to end the war, the content of which was made public by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a conversation with journalists on Tuesday. The party emphasized the inadmissibility of holding elections in the country before the abolition of martial law, as well as holding a referendum on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
"The topic of the "20-point plan" presented by the President requires an honest conversation on the merits, and it is good that it is beginning... Peace is possible only when it begins with the protection of human life, is based on law and ends with justice. This is the path that we consider to be the only correct one for Ukraine," the statement published on the political force's website on Wednesday reads.
At the same time, the faction emphasizes "the categorical inadmissibility of any elections during martial law, because such elections that do not meet European standards will not strengthen, but rather weaken, the legitimacy of the government."
"The sequence of implementation of the plan, when it is finally agreed, in our opinion, should be as follows. First, a ceasefire. Ukraine must stop losing people. This is not the final chord of the peace plan, but its first point... Secondly, the next step after the ceasefire should be the abolition of martial law, or its non-extension... Then conditions will arise for free and democratic elections... Thirdly, the Agreement should be signed by the President, and for its individual points - to apply for ratification to the Verkhovna Rada," the statement says.
The faction also emphasizes that "a referendum on territorial changes in Ukraine is impossible both from a legal and moral point of view," since the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state are not subject to bargaining.
"Today, our thoughts are also with those families who lost their loved ones as a result of the aggressive war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. This pain has no statute of limitations. Russia must bear full responsibility for crimes against the Ukrainian people - political, legal and historical. And pay reparations," the document emphasizes.
Eurosolidarity also warns against falsification of elections that may be held after the cessation of hostilities. "Therefore, we are not just against remote electronic voting - we will fight against such technology by all means available to us," the faction stated.
As reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a meeting with journalists, announced a twenty-point draft peace plan to end the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine. The draft, in particular, provides for a non-aggression agreement between Russia and Ukraine, strong security guarantees, membership in the EU, a free trade agreement with the United States, a package for the country's global development, control over the territories behind the current line of contact, control over the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), numerous ratifications in parliaments, as well as elections in Ukraine as soon as possible after the agreement is signed.
