Poroshenko Signs Law on Special Status of Donbas

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed Law “On Special Order of Local Government in Certain Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions”.

Document № 1680-VII defines temporary order of local government in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the press service of the Head of State reports.

The main purpose is to create conditions for prompt normalization of the situation, restoration of legal order, constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens, return of internally displaced persons, restoration of life-sustaining activity in inhabited localities and development of these territories. Also, rights and legitimate interests of legal entities are being restored.

Special order in these districts is introduced by the given law for three years since the date of its publication.

The Ukrainian legislation in certain districts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions is applied with consideration of peculiarities stipulated by the given document.

Governance in the cities, towns and villages is carried out by territorial communities through local government bodies under the Constitution and the Laws of Ukraine. Powers of local councils and officials elected in the course of the extraordinary elections scheduled by the Verkhovna Rada will not be terminated early. Extraordinary local elections in these districts are scheduled for Dec. 7, 2014.

The document also specifies the way of coordinating the activity between local government of these districts and central and executive government.

Moreover, the Law stipulates mechanisms of state support of socio-economic development of these districts through the introduction of the regime of business and investment activity aimed at restoration of industrial objects, infrastructure, housing facilities, reorientation of industrial capacity, creation of new jobs.

Under the Law, the state guarantees prevention of criminal prosecution, criminal and administrative liability and punishment of persons-participants of the events in these districts. To protect public order, local government will create people's militia units.

The law shall enter into force on the day of its publication.