Making statements about Feb 24 elections shows complete failure to understand mood and trauma of society - Aivazovska
Making political statements about the elections on February 24 means not understanding the mood and trauma of Ukrainian society, Olha Aivazovska, head of the board of the Civic Network OPORA, a member of the working group on preparing laws on holding elections during the war, has said.
"I gave a comment to the Financial Times about the elections and I want to clarify a few thoughts," she wrote on her Facebook page.
"I don’t really understand in which hot head the idea could arise to link the day of the start of full-scale aggression with the date when the need to hold elections in Ukraine will be announced. I remind you that the level of support for elections during the hot phase of the war in Ukraine is about 10% even after the latest scandals," she noted.
Aivazovska also emphasized that work on legislation for holding the first post-war elections is ongoing, but it takes a lot of time.
"There is an understanding that at least six months are needed from the end of martial law to the start of the election campaign. The more debates around the articles and provisions of the election law, the more understanding that even these terms are very optimistic," she said.
Aivazovska noted that in addition to some new norms and concepts in the electoral legislation regarding the media, campaigning, and the fight against Russian interference, such norms should appear in the Criminal Code and the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses.
"There are definitely no votes in parliament for anything right now, and after developing a legal framework in the form of a bill, we will have to hold more than one meeting with factions and groups, where other interests will begin to act and come into play: in addition to political ones, current life interests (sanctions, investigations, etc.). This part can be difficult and lengthy, because there is no longer a unanimous coalition that could make decisions independently," she added.
Earlier, the Financial Times, citing Ukrainian and European officials involved in the planning, reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to announce a plan for presidential elections and a referendum on February 24.
