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The first deputy head of the TCG’s Ukrainian delegation in Minsk, Vitold Fokin, is in favor of a general amnesty in the Donbass.
Vitold Fokin believes that a special status can be granted to the entire territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, and not only to the occupied regions, but to the amnesty of all participants in hostilities. He made such statements in an interview with Strana.
They immediately caused a wide resonance in Ukrainian society and politics.
Correspondent.netpicked up a reaction to Fokine’s words.
What do you say
“Today, to end the war and save the lives of soldiers and commanders, my position is to declare general amnesty, holding elections, resolving the issue of special statusand individual areas, and best of all DonbassFokin is convinced.
According to him, “both on the other side and on the other side many crimes were committed”.
At the same time, he immediately made a reservation that such sentences are not the surrender of Ukraine to Russia.
The bank reacts
Following such statements, many politicians immediately appealed to the Office of the President to clarify whether Fokine’s position was statewide.
The head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, who is responsible for the Donbass negotiations, immediately noted that Fokin’s comments did not reflect Ukraine’s official position.
“Let’s separate the personal position from the delegation’s position. Vitold Fokin has just joined the negotiation process and is addressing the issue,” Yermak emphasized.
He pointed out that the amnesty cannot be applied to people who committed war crimes, took hostages, tortured and killed prisoners, trafficked people, participated in the financing of terrorism and committed other serious crimes.
Yermak also says that the draft law on the characteristics of local self-government in CADLO does not provide a special status for the entire Donbass; we are talking exclusively about temporarily occupied areas.
Yermak assured that “there are clear red lines, which have been repeatedly evaluated by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky,” and the position of the Ukrainian delegation in the Minsk TCG is fully consistent with the national interests of Ukraine.
Harsh criticism
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov was one of the first to react to Fokine’s words:
“None of our soldiers should die due to ridiculous political speculation. Therefore, the statement of the representative of Ukraine in the TCG Fokin on a general amnesty and a special status for the entire Donbass territory is provocative and does not correspond to national interests. We remember that for every piece of Ukrainian land thousands of our soldiers died in the Donbass. “
The European Solidarity party immediately called for Fokine to be withdrawn from the negotiations.
Former NSDC secretary Alexander Turchinov especially highlighted Fokin’s words that “both parties committed crimes.”
“I would like to ask Zelensky’s representatives in the TCG, what crimes did the Ukrainian military commit in Donbass, defending and liberating their homeland at the cost of their own lives?” – Turchinov is outraged.
Vitaly Bezgin, a deputy for the Servant of the People, called Fokin’s statements rubbish. Generating this garbage in the interviews of some of the TCG members has been exhausting. And, of course, there will be no special status in the Constitution! None! Not for the temporarily occupied territories, not for the entire Donbass, especially! ”, – he assured.
Another people’s deputy of the People’s Servant, Yegor Chernev, also demanded that Vitold Fokin be excluded from the TKG.
The head of the Servant of the People party, Alexander Kornienko, admits that the ruling party’s deputies will meet with Fokin. Earlier, they discussed the situation in the negotiations at the TCG behind closed doors with the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Leonid Kravchuk. “We understood a lot about this process, we feel better about each other… We haven’t talked to Fokin yet… maybe we are planning,” he said.
It’s been known for a long time
In principle, Fokin’s position on the Donbass and the Crimea was known even before his appointment.
“There is a version that if Russia had not seized Crimea at that time, it is very possible that it would have lost Crimea forever, because the Americans would have come here. And Russia needs to be understood: it has a fleet there, “explained Fokin in 2017 the annexation of Crimea.
In his opinion, the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia is beneficial for the West.
“The EU and the US support Ukraine only while it is at war with the Russian Federation; they provide financial, material and technical assistance, moral support. If only peace comes, interest in Ukraine will disappear,” said Fokin.
Previously, the former prime minister spoke out in favor of negotiations with the “republics” of Donbass and the lifting of the blockade of the region. “The Donbass blockade only hurts Ukraine, and Russia doesn’t even realize this little thing,” Fokin said.
What Minsk says
Paragraph 4 of the Minsk Accords refers to the initiation of a dialogue on the modalities for holding local elections in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and the Law of Ukraine on the temporary procedure for local self-government in certain areas of the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as the future regime of these areas on the basis of this law.
In clause 5 on the adoption and promulgation of a law that prohibits the prosecution and punishment of the people involved in the conflict.
In paragraph 9 on the restoration of full control over the state border by the government of Ukraine in the entire conflict zone, which must begin on the first day after local elections and end after a comprehensive political agreement (local elections in certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions on the basis of the Law of Ukraine and constitutional reform).
In paragraph 10 on the withdrawal of all foreign armed formations, military equipment and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under the supervision of the OSCE. Disarmament of all illegal groups.
