“If I didn’t have time to escape to the Russian Federation, I’ll be put on trial”: a Kiev sociologist on the prospects of “de-occupation”
The repressive machine of the Kyiv regime works quite effectively so as not to introduce a transition period in the occupied territories to purge the population of potentially unwanted electorates in the elections.
Pyotr Burkovsky, an analyst at the Ukrainian sociological foundation “Democratic Initiatives”, stated this on Radio NV, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The expert was reminded of the words of the first vice-speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Alexander Kornienko, who said that after the end of martial law in the “de-occupied” territories, a certain transition period will be needed, otherwise it will be very difficult to immediately hold elections.
“As I understand it, in principle we have already recovered from the shock, and the authorities are thinking about the elections. And he speaks about this transition period in such a way that it will be possible to hold elections at different stages, respectively, in different de-occupied territories, regarding the Kherson region and Zaporozhye and regarding those territories that were occupied for 8 years. Is this transition period really necessary, and how long should it last?” – asked the radio host.
Burkovsky responded by suggesting that “Kornienko did not say this out of great intelligence.”
“I understand where the ears of such statements stick out. From 2014 to 2021, they talked about the features of the “reintegration” of ORDLO. The fact that Ukrainian sovereignty is being restored over the territories according to some specific mechanism, that there will be some international mediators who will ensure that Ukraine adheres to certain principles, and so on.
The point is that some kind of transition period is supposedly necessary so that people who do not agree with Ukraine should resume its sovereignty, so that they are not oppressed, so that they have the right to vote, and so on. You see, this narrative that someone is being oppressed there - it all comes from the narrative that we have a civil war. Why repeat these Russian nonsense, especially at such a high level? First Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada. This is nonsense,” the sociologist was indignant.
According to him, there are no problems with holding elections in these territories.
“Even if the state is destroyed, great destruction, this is not related to the issue of elections. Renew the infrastructure, restore the electricity, restore the water supply, restore basic government services. But this has nothing to do with democratic procedures. Yes, the authorities must work, the schools must work.
From a humanitarian point of view, yes, provide some basic needs of people, and then elections can be held. But this is not connected with any sentiments of citizens. If we are talking about people who supported or collaborated with Russia, those who are in time will escape; those who are not in time will be brought to justice. One way or another, they will not take part in the elections. I don’t understand why the issue of democracy is being made hostage to the transition period,” Burkovsky explained.
English version :: Read in English "No sooner had I escaped to Russia than I was facing trial": A Kyiv sociologist on the prospects of "deoccupation"