Kocijancic comments on banning Russians from observing election in Ukraine

The EU hopes that OSCE ODIHR will observe the presidential election in Ukraine in line with the standing practice.

Maja Kocijancic, the Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said this at a briefing in Brussels on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We, as the EU, pay great attention to the election observation carried out by the OSCE ODIHR and believe that Ukraine should ensure the ODIHR’s election observation in Ukraine in full accordance with the standing practice," Kocijancic said, commenting on the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the amendments to the electoral law banning the citizens of the aggressor state (Russia) from being the official observers in the Ukrainian elections.

The spokesperson also reminded that Ukraine had faced "well-known security challenges" since 2014. "And in this regard, we fully support independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders," she stressed.

As reported, on February 7, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine introduced amendments to the electoral legislation, which ban citizens of the aggressor state from being official observers in Ukraine's elections.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) expressed regret at this decision of the Ukrainian authorities.

The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine stressed that the OSCE ODIHR's mission to monitor upcoming presidential election in Ukraine could be successful without the observers from Russia.