Estonia's ambassador to Ukraine presents credentials to President Zelenskyy

Former Minister of Defense and Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy have failed to adequately prepare Ukraine for elections during wartime, according to Olha Aivazovska, head of the Civil Network OPORA. Aivazovska argues that holding elections during the war will compromise their democratic nature and result in significant financial losses for the country.

The OPORA head asserts that both Zelenskyy and Fedorov have considerable vulnerabilities in their approach to wartime elections. Despite this, neither has taken any concrete steps to prepare the security system for the most critical elections in Ukraine's history. Russian occupiers could employ various tactics to undermine the electoral process, according to Aivazovska.

The head of OPORA believes that the upcoming post-war elections should be parliamentary, as the first missed elections were parliamentary. The OPORA think tank notes that 65% of the election legislation is prepared, but negotiations stalled in April. Furthermore, 50% of citizens do not live at their registered address, which necessitates a creative approach to data verification in the State Voter Register.

Holding elections during wartime requires ample time for public education, adjusting law enforcement agency mandates, global efforts to organize overseas voting, power transitioning plans from military to civilian administration, and creating the Central Election Commission. Aivazovska emphasizes the need for massive resources and a long-term strategy, citing examples of previous Ukrainian achievements in the face of immense challenges.