Central Election Commission considers adopting separate law for post-war elections to be expedient

To hold post-war elections, it would be more expedient to adopt a separate law that establishes specific procedures not typically used in peacetime elections.

This was stated by Oleh Didenko, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission, in an interview with Ukrinform.

“In my opinion, it would be more expedient to adopt a separate law that would regulate the specifics of post-war elections—establishing specific procedures and aspects that are not typical for elections in peacetime,” Didenko said.

He also noted that there is a separate issue of the criteria for the possibility or impossibility of holding elections in a particular territory. According to Didenko, this issue should also be regulated by a separate law.

“Such a bill was drafted by the CEC in 2022. The commission submitted it to the Verkhovna Rada. After that, the Rada undertook some work on it, involving international partners. The only thing is that, as far as I know, it has not been registered yet,” said the Chairman of the CEC.

He explained that due to the war in Ukraine, many settlements have been entirely or partially destroyed and are practically depopulated. “Is there a need to hold elections there? Such issues must be resolved,” Didenko stressed.

All these issues, he noted, must be regulated by law.

As reported, on December 26, the first online meeting of the working group on preparing legislative proposals for elections in special or post-war periods, headed by First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Kornienko, took place. It comprises 62 individuals, including representatives from the Verkhovna Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers, and civil society.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that if the ratification of the peace agreement between Ukraine, the US, Russia, and Europe, if signed, requires a nationwide referendum, it could be held together with the presidential elections in Ukraine. This could happen as early as 60 or 90 days after the agreement is signed.

The President noted that paragraph 18 of the draft document on ending the war stipulates that elections in Ukraine should be held as soon as possible after the signing of the peace agreement.