Lavrov: DPR and LPR ready to hold elections under Ukrainian law

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) militant organizations are ready to hold local elections on the basis of the Ukrainian legislation and with the participation of the OSCE monitors, but this requires direct consultation between Kyiv, Donetsk and Luhansk, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

"The first condition for the preparation of elections in Donbas is the direct consultation and coordination of modalities for these elections. Both DPR and LPR are ready to hold them on the basis of Ukrainian law and to provide the OSCE observers with the right to monitor the process, but they want to agree all of this in consultation with the Ukrainian authorities," Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

On July 24, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and European Parliament (EP) delegates led by Chair of the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee Elmar Brok agreed that the organization by Russian-backed militants of separate local elections in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk's People Republic on October 18 and November 1, respectively, would have disastrous consequences for the Minsk process and deteriorate the security situation in Donbas.

The Central Election Commission declared the impossibility of holding local elections on October 25 in 91 local councils of Donetsk region and 31 local councils of Luhansk region, which are controlled by Ukraine.

Local elections planned for October 25 will not be held in the occupied territories, including 125 settlements in Donetsk region and 146 — in Luhansk region.