Referendum on peace deal very dangerous due to territorial manipulation risks — MP

Ukrainian lawmaker Solomiia Bobrovska stated this on Espreso TV.

"Parliament will face major challenges, as will the president, because he will want to shift responsibility for the referendum issue to parliament. Specifically, putting a peace agreement to a referendum, if such an agreement is clearly formulated. This raises historically complex and dangerous moments that will fall under parliament's responsibility. After all, parliament will likely, I assume, at the president's decision, put the question of this peace agreement to a referendum. And it will be parliament that decides on voting methods. Hence, many discussions are starting today about expressing will through personal voting by ballot and online as well. Since a referendum requires at least 50% voter turnout. Then there's talk of presidential elections, which should be held on the same day as this so-called referendum. I say 'so-called' because the idea of putting this peace agreement to a referendum is very dangerous. After all, it will concern changes to territories and effectively the country's sovereignty over certain parts of its territory. It will be very easy to manipulate such an issue," Bobrovska explained.

The MP emphasized that a peace agreement has not yet been clearly formulated, and therefore no country can impose on the Ukrainian parliament and president decisions about territorial or other concessions for the sake of peace.

"I believe that the idea of putting a peace agreement to a referendum is dangerous. When we talk about state sovereignty and the breadth and fullness of Ukraine's authority over its regions, we definitely cannot play games with such matters in our society. However, since there is no fully formed peace agreement yet, no country can dictate such decisions to the Ukrainian parliament and president," she added.