UN sees 'elections' in Donbas as violation of Constitution of Ukraine and Minsk Agreements

The issues of elections in eastern Ukraine are stipulated by the Minsk Agreements and the Constitution of Ukraine, so any other one-sided actions violate both of them.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary‑General, said this at a briefing on Monday, November 12, while commenting on "elections" organized by Russia in the occupied Donbas, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The implementation of the Minsk Agreements, as endorsed by the Security Council, are the basis for the peaceful resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine," he said.

He recalled that Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary di Carlo said at the UN Security Council on October 30 that election-related matters are addressed in the Minsk Agreements as part of a comprehensive package, and they are under consideration in the existing international negotiating mechanisms.

"Any such measures taken outside Ukraine's constitutional and legal framework would, therefore, be incompatible with the Minsk Agreements. We urge all concerned to avoid any unilateral steps that could deepen the divide or depart from the Minsk Agreements," Haq said.

As reported, despite the categorical reaction of the international community, the Russian side organized in the occupied territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine on November 11 the pseudo-elections for the local government agencies of the occupation authorities.

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