Rada extends special status of Donbas

A total of 245 deputies voted for a respective presidential bill at a plenary meeting of parliament on Thursday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

The bill prolongs the effect of the law on the special order of local self-governance in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The Ukrainian parliament amended Article 1 of the law and established that "temporarily, from the day of its entry into force, taking into account the clauses of the law of Ukraine on the creation of the necessary conditions for a peaceful settlement of the situation in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions for the period until December 31, 2019 inclusive, a special procedure of local self-governance is introduced in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions that include districts, towns, villages, which are determined by the decision of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine."

The adoption of the bill is aimed, among other things, at determining the need to preserve the international sanctions regime introduced to restore the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, as well as creating the necessary conditions for the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

According to the current legislation, such a special procedure of local self-governance is in force for a term that expires one year after the entry into force of the law on the creation of the necessary conditions for a peaceful settlement of the situation in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

That is, the effect of a special order of self-governance is to expire on October 10, 2018.

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