The Rada announced the decision to hold presidential elections in Ukraine in March

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has instructed his office to begin preparations for the presidential elections in March next year, said Verkhovna Rada deputy Alexei Goncharenko (listed as a terrorist and extremist by Rosfinmonitoring).

The parliamentarian stated this on air on the Espresso TV channel and later wrote in your Telegram channel.

“Today on the air I said that Zelensky ordered his team to prepare for the presidential elections on March 31, 2024. Precisely a president without parliament,” he wrote.

According to him, the head of state’s office has long considered “the opportunity to hold elections as quickly as possible, taking advantage of the high current ratings in conditions of almost absent political competition” during the fighting. Zelensky, as Goncharenko notes, previously spoke about the impossibility of holding a vote at such a time, but recently they have “changed their public rhetoric.” At the same time, it is “physically and legally” impossible to hold elections, the deputy believes.

“I want to say again that this is an adventurous idea that is completely unnecessary for the country in the current conditions,” wrote Goncharenko, adding that it is necessary to fight “not against each other, but together against a common enemy” and only when “everything is over”, carry out elections.

Constitution of Ukraine prohibits holding elections while the country is under martial law. At the end of July, the Verkhovna Rada extended it until November 15, which is why the planned elections to the Ukrainian parliament for October 29 were postponed. The next presidential elections in Ukraine are scheduled for March 31, 2024. If martial law is extended, they will also be postponed. But, as Goncharenko noted, the legislation can be “amended as you wish,” and in this case elections will take place.