Next Sunday, September 18 will be the election of deputies of the State Duma of Russia. According to world practice, for citizens living abroad or resident abroad, open polling stations at the diplomatic missions, embassies and consulates of the country. Around the vote for citizens of Russia in Ukraine remains intriguing.
Recall that the head of the Ukrainian foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on 11 September this year at the request Poroshenko has put forward a number of requirements for holding elections on the territory of Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov has specified where it must pass a vote of Russian citizens in Ukraine and stressed the importance of compliance with the Vienna Convention on electoral rules and obligations of countries participating in this process.
The correspondent of the news Agency Novorossiya discussed with political analyst Pavel Svyatenkov possible scenarios for the elections on the territory of the state whose authorities believe that they are at war with Russia.
— Paul V., do You think the citizens of Russia, of which Ukraine is home to 80 thousand will be able to vote safely in these areas, as for them it is safe?
— Frankly speaking, everything will depend on the position of the Kiev authorities. Usually polling stations are organized on the territory of embassies and consulates, that is, the territory that is controlled by the government of the country where elections are held. It is standard international practice. But the question arises: whether there will be any provocations against Russian diplomatic missions? Because the authorities (in Ukraine — approx. ed.) can stand for some bullies who attack embassies and consulates, for such actions. It shows not only the Ukrainian practice, but also international.
Accordingly, everything will depend on how will the Kiev authorities. Because if on election day, some bullies will attack on the Embassy, and say, the police will just block the entrance, then of course, the people of Russia, living in those territories to vote can not, or can not vote in that quantity in what they would like. So it all depends on the position of Kiev.
In the case of such provocations, what should follow from the official Moscow? Notes of protest, of outrage? After all, it is the failure of elections in the neighboring country.
— Well, I think that it is not a global disruption, but it will cause diplomatic conflict. Such things are usually double — edged, because on one day Ukraine will pass elections, and the Ukrainian citizens living in Russia wants to vote in his country’s Embassy in Russia. Therefore, in this case, the Ukrainian leadership should think twice before you go on provocation. Whether they will go to them, will know in a couple of days.
— Do you think the radicals will be decided on a campaign of intimidation: ing with flares, Molotov cocktails or burning tires — there is a risk to see it near the Russian embassies and consulates on September 18?
Of course, all this is possible. And for all such shares is the government, it is quite obvious, and it happens not only in Ukraine, there are cases in Southeast Asia. That is what the authorities lured the extremists, they are used to such provocations. Accordingly, all depends on what position will be taken by the Ukrainian leadership. If it is to prevent the will of the Russians living in Ukraine, with the help of such hooligans, it is likely that there will be problems in the voting. If not, then not. As they say, “the ball is on the side of the Ukrainian government”.
— One more question. In the Donbass also home to many of our countrymen and how they will organise the voting?
— Honestly, I don’t know whether it was opened in Donetsk at the time the Russian Consulate.
— There was not.
— Then I think the Russian people living in the DNI and LC will have “by law” to go to the nearest Consulate (Kharkov) in Ukraine, to apply and to vote, to be honest, I doubt that it’s secure. So everything is open to question. Roughly speaking, we are talking about Russian citizens, it is the simplest in this case to enter the territory of Russia and to vote anywhere in the territory of the Russian Federation.
Russian CEC should provide, I think, the opportunity to vote to those citizens of Russia who live on the territory of Donetsk and Lugansk republics. That is just go, there is not a very great distance, across the border in the Donetsk, Rostov region. Relatively speaking. It will be much safer than forcing people to go to Kharkov or Kiev, and to be at risk given the current situation. Because the citizen has the right to vote throughout the country.
