Pro-Russian separatists are no longer in a hurry to hold elections in Eastern Ukraine
The leaders of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) previously stated that they sought to hold elections in the spring. A representative of the so-called LPR, however, recently said that the elections can be conducted no sooner than December.
Vladislav Deinego, the representative of self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, made the announcement during the forum entitled "Minsk Agreements as the Basis of Donbas Sovereignty".
According to Deinego, before holding elections, it is necessary to create a new constitutional reform that may take half a year. A further month will be spent on the adoption of the electoral law, and another ninety days to prepare it.
"This means that in ten months Ukraine will begin carrying out these requirements " Deinego said.
Earlier the heads of the so-called LPR (Igor Polotnytsky) and DPR (Alexander Zakharchenko) stated that they would conduct "elections" in February and April 2016. On February eleventh, a "DPR" member Denis Pushylin stated these dates were "negotiable". Pushylin said that the separatists hope to come to an agreement with Ukraine concerning the electoral law in Donbas, "in the context of the Minsk format ".