Stratford57
Diamond Member
Sunday, November 2 the elections were held in Donbass (Donetsk and Loughansk) area. This area held its elections separately from the rest of Ukraine because they don't consider themselves part of Ukraine any more and did not participate in Ukrainian elections a week ago. Western countries refused to recognize them and Russia did. The new elected head of the Loughansk people's republic Igor Plotnitsky said today: "What's the most valuable for any Western country? It's democracy. What's the most valuable for any democracy? It's the free will of the people, being able to vote, people's choice and the rule of law. So, what have we done according to Western countries for not recognizing our elections? Or may be they don't recognize us just because they don't want to? But if you issue a law you have to follow it. We don't force anybody to recognize us."
Over 80 international observers came to Donbass area to watch the elections. They expressed their points of view about the elections.
Jean Luke Shanfhauser (France):
"The elections have been held. If you ask the people of Donetsk or Louhgansk, they will tell you they were making their choice with the background of what they had had to go through during the last months. Actually, under the war conditions you couldn't see better preparations for the elections. Everything was very transparent, the population was very well motivated. The people were coming to show their desire for independence."
Frank Obernati (USA):
"It was very clear that the elections have observed all the democratic norms and European standards. First, the elections were free, the people were freely coming there without force or threats. Second, all the procedures necessary for voting were observed."
Kiev is going to declare all the observers, who came to Donbass, including the current deputies of EU Parliament, persona non grata. Some of them have told the press what they think about it.
Lucio Malan (italy):
"Too bad the are going to put us onto a black list. I was an observer at many elections. I always thought I was serving the people, that's why I considered it to be my duty to come here and to protect voters' rights."
Manuel Ohsenraiter (Germany):
"Western media claimed that the observers were false. We are here, we are real people, not holographic pictures, you can see us, hear us, touch us. There are also the observers from Germany, Greece, Israel and many other countries."
According to the observers the high turnout has shown how decisive the Donbass residents are to stand for their rights and how important the elections were for them. (By the way each and every voter HAD to show his passport to be able to vote, unlikely in many states in the USA!!!!!! Also the author wants you to compare the high Donbass turnout with the record low turnout in Ukrainian elections just a week before, especially about 30-35% turnout in Eastern Ukraine).
Western Media preferred not to notice the Donbass elections, however CNN reported about them without a lot of enthusiasm:
High turnout in separatist Ukraine vote - CNN.com
Over 80 international observers came to Donbass area to watch the elections. They expressed their points of view about the elections.
Jean Luke Shanfhauser (France):
"The elections have been held. If you ask the people of Donetsk or Louhgansk, they will tell you they were making their choice with the background of what they had had to go through during the last months. Actually, under the war conditions you couldn't see better preparations for the elections. Everything was very transparent, the population was very well motivated. The people were coming to show their desire for independence."
Frank Obernati (USA):
"It was very clear that the elections have observed all the democratic norms and European standards. First, the elections were free, the people were freely coming there without force or threats. Second, all the procedures necessary for voting were observed."
Kiev is going to declare all the observers, who came to Donbass, including the current deputies of EU Parliament, persona non grata. Some of them have told the press what they think about it.
Lucio Malan (italy):
"Too bad the are going to put us onto a black list. I was an observer at many elections. I always thought I was serving the people, that's why I considered it to be my duty to come here and to protect voters' rights."
Manuel Ohsenraiter (Germany):
"Western media claimed that the observers were false. We are here, we are real people, not holographic pictures, you can see us, hear us, touch us. There are also the observers from Germany, Greece, Israel and many other countries."
According to the observers the high turnout has shown how decisive the Donbass residents are to stand for their rights and how important the elections were for them. (By the way each and every voter HAD to show his passport to be able to vote, unlikely in many states in the USA!!!!!! Also the author wants you to compare the high Donbass turnout with the record low turnout in Ukrainian elections just a week before, especially about 30-35% turnout in Eastern Ukraine).
Western Media preferred not to notice the Donbass elections, however CNN reported about them without a lot of enthusiasm:
High turnout in separatist Ukraine vote - CNN.com
