OSCE Special Envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) for Ukraine Martin Sajdik has appealed to the leadership of the Verkhovna Rada on the expiration of the law on a special order of local self-government in some areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and Ukraine's representative in the TCG's humanitarian subgroup and First Deputy Parliament Speaker Iryna Gerashchenko will offer her colleagues a discussion on this initiative in September.

"OSCE Special Envoy Martin Sajdik addressed the leadership of the Verkhovna Rada (the speaker and deputy speakers). [...] In his letter, Martin Sajdik draws attention to the fact that the law of Ukraine, which provides for a special order of self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, extended in October 2017 for a year, is expiring," she wrote on her Facebook page on Monday.

In addition, according to Gerashchenko, in this letter the OSCE envoy "rightly notes that the extension of the law could contribute to the involvement of the UN forces in resolving the conflict and would also give the necessary signal to the international community to further support these efforts."

The politician said that the extension of the law in 2017 "greatly strengthened the negotiating positions of our diplomats and authorities and helped continue sanctions against the Russian Federation in January and July 2018," while Russia "did not move one step forward in the implementation of the Minsk agreements."

"At the first conciliation council in September, I will address the faction leaders with a request to hold a discussion on the issue of extending the law. As a participant in the Minsk talks, I am ready to meet with the factions, if there is a need and desire, and to answer question. I will also propose that our colleagues devote the first meeting of our informal Minsk platform to these issues. The vote will be difficult and interesting and will definitely show who is making efforts to ensure that the EU prolongs the sanctions, and who is interested in lifting sanctions on the Russian Federation," Gerashchenko said.

On October 6, 2017, the Verkhovna Rada extended for one year the effect of the law on the special order of local self-government order in occupied Donbas, which was due to expire on October 18, 2017.

The document provides that the special procedures of local self-government in certain areas of Donbas shall enter into force only "after all the conditions set forth in Article 10 of the law [on the special order of local self-government], in particular regarding the withdrawal of all illegal armed formations, their military equipment, as well as militants and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine have been met."

The Donbas special status law was adopted in September 2014 and entered into force on October 18, 2014, for a period of three years.

Its Article 10 (Transitional Provisions) establishes that special local self-government procedures shall be handled exclusively by local self-government agencies, which shall be elected in early elections.

This article also sets a number of conditions whose implementation is necessary before the elections, namely the withdrawal of illegal armed formations and military equipment from Ukraine, guarantees of free expression of will, observation of elections, including by representatives of international organizations, as well as prevention of illegal interference in the electoral process, observance of the principles of political pluralism and freedom of election campaigning.