Poroshenko insists on holding local elections in entire Kyiv-controlled part of Donbas except for frontline areas

16:03, 09.09.2015 1 min read

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko insists on holding local elections on the entire territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions controlled by Kyiv, except for the districts adjacent to the line of contact between the conflicting parties.

"I favor holding elections everywhere except for the districts that are located right on the contact line and where there is a threat of spontaneous and unpredictable shelling, where we just can't defend the people," Poroshenko said at a Regional Development Council meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday.

He said the Verkhovna Rada would call elections in these districts after the situation there stabilizes.

Poroshenko said he had a very serious discussion with government officials and community leaders in the Donbas territories controlled by Kyiv. "Arguments for not holding elections were quite convincing," Poroshenko said, adding that he understood all the risks and dangers of holding elections in this territory.