On Thursday, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine resolution came into force on scheduling regular local elections for Sunday, October 25, 2020.

The resolution adopted on July 15 was published in the Voice of Ukraine parliamentary newspaper on Wednesday and entered into force the day after its publication.

On October 25 there will be "regular elections of deputies of local councils and rural, settlement, city mayors", except for annexed Crimea and the occupied territories of Donbas.

"Elections of deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, deputies of local councils and rural, settlement, city mayors in the temporarily occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and in certain districts, cities, towns and villages of Donetsk and Luhansk regions are not appointed or held," the MPs said in the resolution.

In addition, "due to the impossibility of ensuring the representation of the common interests of the territorial communities of villages, settlements and cities of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, elections of deputies of Donetsk and Luhansk regional councils are not appointed or held."

According to the document, the elections of deputies of local councils and rural, settlement, city mayors in these regions "will be appointed in the manner and terms established by separate laws, in the following conditions: the termination of the temporary occupation and armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, namely: the withdrawal of all illegal armed formation led, controlled and financed by the Russian Federation, the Russian occupation forces, their military equipment from the territory of Ukraine; restoration of full control of Ukraine along its state border; disarmament of all illegal armed formations and mercenaries operating in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine; restoration of the constitutional order and law and order in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine; ensuring the safety of citizens of Ukraine living in the territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the city of Sevastopol, after full completion on the relevant disarmament, demilitarization and reintegration procedures in these territories due to the standards of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)."

According to the resolution, the regular local elections are not held in the case of the appointment of the first elections of deputies of the relevant local councils and village, settlement, city mayors for October 25, 2020.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was instructed to take, within its powers, measures to ensure the financing of local elections on October 25, 2020 at the expense of the national budget of Ukraine; together with the Central Election Commission, develop measures and recommendations aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) disease during local elections on October 25, 2020, taking into account the requirements of the Electoral Code of Ukraine.

The Central Election Commission of Ukraine, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Ukraine, have to take measures to provide financial and logistical support for the preparation and conduct of elections at the expense of the national budget of Ukraine.