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Local elections may be postponed only on one condition – that's if a state of emergency is introduced nationwide, says Deputy Health Minister, Chief Medical Officer Viktor Liashko.

The comment came at a roundtable discussion "Local Elections 2020 and COVID-19," when the deputy minster was asked if local elections could be put off over a surge in COVID- 19 cases, an UNIAN correspondent reported on October 2.

"Elections may be postponed only when a state of emergency is declared across country. Otherwise, the elections will take place as prescribed in the electoral legislation and in line with epidemic norms approved by the Cabinet of Ministers," Liashko said.

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  • On September 5, preparations for the local elections, scheduled for October 25, began in Ukraine.
  • The Central Election Commission (CEC) preliminary recommended that such rules be adopted for the period of local election: social distancing, limitations on the number of people around the polling station's desks where ballots are issued (no more than four persons at a time), availability of hand sanitizers, separate booths for persons with flu symptoms, and a ban on public events in indoor settings with the participation of candidates running for local governments.
  • People not wearing face masks will be allowed to vote. At the same time, police will be entitled to fine quarantine rule violators.