Why do the Donbass republics need elections on November 2?
Alexey Blyuminov, political commentator, Kyiv-Lugansk
There are several days left before the elections of heads of republics and deputies of the People's Councils in the DPR and LPR. Meanwhile, attention to these elections is focused no less than to the elections to the Kyiv Rada, although the state of Ukraine is recognized by the whole world, and the people's republics of Donbass are not recognized by anyone except South Ossetia.
However, the very fact of the rebellious regions’ readiness to express their will has already been equated by Kyiv politicians – the “hawks” from Yatsenyuk’s party – to a military threat. “Elections in Donbass are a greater challenge than creating a coalition, because all these Minsk protocols are worthless if elections are held in the DPR and LPR on November 2. This could greatly aggravate the situation in the country. And all these discussions around which government, which forces entered parliament, will become secondary. Because we will face a new military threat,” People’s Deputy Vyacheslav Kirilenko said recently.
The fact that this is not the private opinion of an individual Kirilenko is evidenced by large-scale military preparations. Troops and heavy equipment are being massed at the borders of the rebel republics; there is information from various sources that Kyiv is ready to unilaterally violate the truce just to prevent the holding of elections in Donetsk and Lugansk. However, the militia is ready for such a turn.
What has excited the Kyiv nationalists so much, why are they ready to do anything just to prevent people in Donbass from speaking out? The fact is that elections are an act of legitimation. This is, in fact, a nationwide confirmation of the will that was expressed in the referendum on May 11. Then the people voted to create people's republics. Now they will choose the government that will not only lead the DPR and LPR, but also have the authority to represent them in the negotiation process with Ukraine.
The elections give Igor Plotnitsky and Oleg Akimov, as new leaders of public opinion in the LPR, a status that they did not have until now. After November 2, it will no longer be possible to say that they are self-appointed. As do the people's councils that make laws. In essence, this will also be a referendum on trust. Now you can no longer say, as before, “through your lips,” “Who is there to talk to?” The answer to this question will be obvious. Those whom the people chose are the ones to talk to.
Thus, Kyiv will have to make a choice. Either recognize these leaders of Donbass elected by the people and sit down with them at the negotiating table, or fight again. But then the responsibility for new violence in the eyes of the world community will not be borne by “terrorists”, but by Poroshenko and Co. And this, as you yourself understand, radically changes both the picture and the (TV) picture.
Hence the struggle over the election date. As you know, Kyiv insists on holding them in December and according to Ukrainian law. The republics themselves think differently and are planning to vote on November 2. Why is this so important? The fact is that Bolivar cannot stand two. The elections held on November 2 under the laws of the people's republics exclude the possibility of holding any other elections under Ukrainian laws and de jure remove these territories from Ukrainian jurisdiction. New legitimate state institutions are emerging. Yes, they are not yet recognized by the world, but the important thing is that they are recognized by their inhabitants themselves.
This means that the source of legitimacy for the new government in Donbass will not be the Constitution of Ukraine and not the special status “given” to Poroshenko “from the master’s shoulder” (he wanted it, he wanted it, he took it away), but the will of the residents of the republics.
An analysis of the election agenda in Ukraine and Donbass shows serious differences. While voters in Kyiv delegate power to the Nazis Biletsky, Ilyenko, Levchenko, in Lugansk and Donetsk there is no chance for nationalists of any kind, not to mention neo-Nazis. At a time when parties that promise to continue cooperation with the IMF and a new wave of liberal reforms are winning in Ukraine, in Donbass people are voting to resolve social issues, to eliminate the oligarchy, and to nationalize enterprises.
Official Moscow has already expressed its readiness to recognize the results of the expression of will in Donbass and work with the elected authorities. Now it's up to Kyiv.
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