“Ukraine has made its step and fulfilled its obligations. Ukraine hasn’t done anything contrary to the international practice,” the President said in the interview to the Ukrainian TV channels.

The Head of State emphasized that the Peace plan suggested already in the late June had items on amnesty and special regime of power decentralization in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The President stressed that it didn’t go about the special status for the districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. “The name and the content of the laws are absolutely different. They are about the regime of local government in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” he said.

If these laws haven’t been adopted, Ukraine would be responsible for the disruption of the peace process. “It would play into the hands of those who want to terminate the ceasefire regime and accuse us of losing the international support,” the Head of State noted.

“Ukraine will do everything to strictly adhere to the Peace plan,” the President said.

Speaking of the Law on amnesty, Petro Poroshenko emphasized that those who had committed serious crimes – deliberate murder, terrorist attack, pillage, rape, abuse of war prisoners and deceased – were not subject to amnesty. “To be eligible to take advantage of the amnesty, one must bring weapons and register. It is an absolutely clear internationally accepted practice used by all civilized countries and it will be used by Ukraine,” the Head of State stressed.

Answering the question about powers of the local government in those territories, the Head of State noted: “There will be no extraordinary powers. It will be impossible for any territory of Ukraine to influence foreign or internal policy of the whole state jeopardizing the sovereignty, territorial integrity or unity. Ukraine’s independence is not for sale, though now there is a war for it”.

Talking about people's militia, Poroshenko said that the actions of those groups would be subject to the Law on Police. "That's why the keyword is militia," he said. "If today you pretend to have the status of local government, you will need to have forces to combat illegal formations. We need to put things in order,” he noted.

The President also stressed that the special regime of local government would be introduced for 3 years. “It is a framework law. There are no direct action norms except one – elections. Elections can take place only when armed people leave the streets. Otherwise, nobody will recognize these elections,” the Head of State said.

“I definitely belong to the party of peace and I stand for this position. I will do everything for Ukraine to have peace. These laws are aimed at the implementation of the declared Peace plan,” the President emphasized.

Press office of President