Slovenia Not Recognising Eastern Ukraine Election
Slovenia is not recognising the results of the so-called presidential and parliamentary elections in the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk because they were held in contravention of Ukraine's law and of the Minsk Protocol, the ministry said in a press release on Monday.
Signed in September by representatives of Ukraine, Russia and both separatist republics, the protocol sets forth that early local elections be held in accordance with the law of Ukraine in some areas of Donetsk and Luhansk which Ukraine planned to organise on 7 December.
The ministry called on all parties in the conflict to refrain from actions that could jeopardise the efforts to find a comprehensive and sustainable solution of the Ukraine crisis and to fully implement as soon as possible what was agreed at the Minsk talks on 5 and 19 September.
Sunday's elections in Donetsk and Lugansk have been condemned by the EU, US, the United Nations and the authorities in Kiev, while Russia announced it will recognise the outcome of the vote which early results show was won by the current rebel leaders.