Statement on the recent Elections in Donetsk and Luhansk

Having recently returned (13.112918)from peoples republic of Donetsk and Luhansk and after having been invited by their respective central electoral committee we have come to the following estimations and conclusions which are now being put forward to the Greek Media and the Greek public opinion.

– Elections which were held in both republics were under the provisions and compliance’s stated in the Minsk Agreement.

– The participation in the electoral process surpassed the 75% mark, which amounts to the one of the higher participation electoral processes in the European continent in the last years.

– We noticed no technical irregularities in the electoral process after having inspected a number of Polling stations , apart from the fact of long lines and waiting periods in some cases due to the large turnout of voters.

– Elections for new representatives in the respective legislative bodies and new political leaders in general were free and transparent meaning that political forces and figures of a wide political  spectrum faced no problems in reaching out to the populations with their programs , their positions, their leaflets and banners which could openly be seen in cities and towns across both republics.

– We congratulate the people of both republics of their attendance and general attitude towards these last elections as well as both central electoral committees for organizing democratic, free elections with no exclusions to peoples of both republics and minorities based on religion or ethnic ancestry as we talked to a number of people in a number of polling stations and we received no complaints on the above  mentioned issues.

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Conclusions

We conclude that recent elections have created an atmosphere of mature and peaceful statehood for both republics and call on international organizations and European nations under international law that they follow the Minsk agreements in spirit and to the letter in the case of the people’s republic of Luhansk and Donetsk.

We call for an unmediated stop on unlawful blockades of every sort towards  these republics and their people by many western nations. These blockades of every sort are in complete violation with human  rights as prescribed in the United Nations charter.

Most importantly  we call on an immediate ceasefire and violation on international law by the Kiev government in their continuing shelling and warlike activities in the region causing an unacceptable loss of human lives,  Innocent civilians mostly and destruction of property and infrastructure.

Finally We call on the international community to intensify every road that leads to constructive dialogue that leads to peace and prosperity for all nations and people in the region.

Costas Isychos – Former alt. Minister of national defense of the Hellenic Republic and firmer deputy of the Greek parliament
Stathis Stavropoulos– journalist of Pontiki  weekly magazine and international prized sketch artist writer
Themis Tzimas – professor of international law, Aristotelian university of Thessalonike, Greece.