Donetsk and Luhansk Elections Illegal, Says Estonian Government
Estonia holds Sunday's elections in the self-appointed creations of Donetsk and Luhansk to be illegal and will not recognize the results, the government said.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said the elections go against the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine, and against the agreement reached in Minks in September, which called for local elections in the two counties under Ukrainian oversight.
“The current steps damage the possibility of finding a permanent political solutions,” he said, adding that it is regrettable that Russia has decided to respect the results.
The Minks Protocol was signed on September 5 by Ukraine, Russia and representatives from the two break-away regions, agreeing to 12 points, including an immediate bilateral ceasefire, early local elections in accordance with the law of Ukraine and the decentralization of power through the adoption of the law of Ukraine.