KIEV
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a law on self-governance regulations for some parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a statement released on the president's official website Thursday said.
The law allows special status to some parts of pro-Russian separatist-held Donetsk and Lugansk provinces on Friday as part of an ongoing truce deal with rebels.
"The main purpose is to create conditions for prompt normalization of the situation, restoration of legal order, constitutional rights and freedom of citizens, return of internally displaced persons, restoration of life-sustaining activity in inhabited localities and development of these territories," the statement said.
The special order in the districts will be valid for three years, the law says. Governance in these regions will be carried out by territorial communities working with local government bodies. Elections for local government bodies will be held on December 7, the statement said.
The law also offers amnesty for those participating in the hostilities.
Meanwhile, leaders of the rebels' self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics have stressed that they want full independence from Ukraine and have set elections of regional leaders and legislative bodies for November 2.
A cease-fire – between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists – was signed on Sept. 5 in Minsk. The cease-fire was intended to put an end to the month-long conflict which has left thousands dead.
But, since the agreement was signed, more than 300 civilians have been killed, a UN report said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Parliament Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov met with Tana de Zulueta, the head of the observer team from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which will observe Ukrainian parliamentary elections on October 26. The organization is also tasked with observing compliance with the cease-fire in Ukraine.
De Zulueta said that a total of 600 observers will take place to monitor the elections from the Council of Europe and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine in April following Russia's annexation of Crimea in March. The U.S., EU and Ukraine allege Moscow has since backed pro-Russian separatists with arms, training and even direct military support.
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