KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th November, 2018) The Ukrainian parliament approved on Monday a presidential decree introducing martial law for 30 days in certain regions over to the recent incident in the Black Sea, where three Ukrainian vessels were seized by Russia.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko promised to not restrict the rights and freedoms of citizens or undertake partial mobilization, even though the decree provides for this. Poroshenko also said that he was not trying to disrupt next year's presidential election.
The issue was deliberated in the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, in a very spirited manner. To not disrupt the vote, the president had to make changes to the text of the decree almost on the spot. Narrowing the territory in which martial law would be introduced helped a compromise to be reached � it would be enforced in a number of regions along the Russian border, and the coasts of the Black and Azov Seas, instead of the whole country. In addition, the Rada set the date for the presidential election in a separate decision.
On Sunday, three ships of the Ukrainian navy illegally crossed the Russian border. According to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the Ukrainian vessels were maneuvering dangerously and were detained as a result. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has called the incident "a very dangerous provocation that requires serious investigation." A criminal case into the illegal crossing of the state border has already been initiated.
On Sunday, Poroshenko put into effect the National Security and Defense Council's (NSDC) decision to establish martial law in the country, exacerbating the already tense relationship between the two countries. The Ukrainian leader clarified that martial law did not mean a declaration of war and was introduced "solely for the purpose of strengthening Ukraine's defenses."
Initially, the text of the decree envisaged the introduction of a special regime for 60 days. It also stated that "in connection with the introduction of martial law in Ukraine the constitutional rights and freedoms of people and citizens of Ukraine may temporarily, for the duration of the legal regime of martial law, be restricted in line with Articles 30-34, 38, 39, 41-44, 53 of the constitution of Ukraine."
These articles concern the rights to the inviolability of the home; secrecy of correspondence; the freedom of thought and speech, as well as participate in referendums, election and rallies.
These norms contained in the decree provoked criticism from parliamentary factions � many lawmakers were outraged by the possibility of having the upcoming elections be postponed for an indefinite period.
During the Rada's extraordinary session, Poroshenko appealed to citizens and announced that he had adjusted the conditions for martial law by giving up the harsh measures. In particular, he reduced the duration of the martial law regime.
"Today, the NSDC recommended that I introduce martial law for a period of 60 days. I want to announce my decision. I will propose to the parliament that martial law be imposed for 30 days. Why? So that the martial law does not overlap with the start of the election campaign by a single day. So that those who care only about their parties and political interests, and ignore the interests of the nation and Ukraine will not have any grounds for dirty political speculations or insinuations," the president said.
Poroshenko had to, however, make another compromise during his speech in the parliament: martial law would only be introduced in 10 of the country's 24 regions.
"The draft law, which approves the decree, envisages the introduction of martial law exclusively in the areas located along the Russian border, along the Transnistrian section of the Ukrainian-Moldovan border and along the Black and Azov Seas," Poroshenko said.
According to him, martial law will go into effect in the Vinnytsia, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, as well as the internal sea waters.
NO RESTRICTIONS OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Poroshenko also said that martial law would not limit the rights and freedoms of citizens of Ukraine and would not lead to censorship. According to him, the decree includes only military measures, "which, in the event of an invasion, will allow us to respond and mobilize resources as quickly as possible."
Poroshenko also said that he had no plans to declare total or partial mobilization, but this possibility remained an option.
NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov, speaking in the parliament, explained that the rights and freedoms of citizens might be limited during the period of martial law, but only in the case of an aggravated military situation.
"In connection with introduction of martial law in Ukraine, the constitutional rights and freedoms of people and citizens of Ukraine may be - I point out [the word] 'may be' - restricted during the martial law period in line with the laws and constitution of Ukraine," Turchynov said.
A number of Ukrainian politicians and experts said earlier that by introducing martial law in the country after the incident in the Black Sea, Poroshenko was trying to postpone or even cancel the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
The president noted that the presidential elections would be held in accordance with the constitution. After the decree on marital law was approved, the parliament set the presidential election for March 31, 2019.
The presidential race officially starts at the end of December 2018. Poroshenko has not officially announced his decision to seek re-election.
Ukrainian lawmakers supported the proposal to introduce martial law. Some even called it a belated decision, noting that it had to be introduced in 2014, when Ukraine lost Crimea and the conflict in the Donbas began. Only lawmakers from the Opposition Bloc faction voted against the measure.
Ukraine's former presidents Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko previously stated that they doubted the usefulness of imposing martial law. They noted that martial law had not been introduced earlier, when it would have been most appropriate.
"One of the main arguments against such a decision [the introduction of martial law] was precisely the inevitability of catastrophic socioeconomic and demographic consequences. Obviously, today there are other arguments, and, most likely, of a political nature. These are elections. Much of the public believes that democracy can be limited this way. These suspicions are extremely dangerous, as they can lead to public conflict," they said in a joint appeal.
The EU authorities said they will study the official documentation on Ukraine's martial law, adding that it was understood from Poroshenko that the measure would not curb civil rights unnecessarily.
