Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the free, democratic elections that have taken place in Ukraine testify to true democracy.
A related statement was posted on the president's official channel on Telegram.
Read alsoSecond round of Ukraine local elections to take place – Parliament speaker
"Unlike some of our neighbors, we do have the great luxury of being able to have held free elections. Yes, I understand very well that our electoral system is still far from perfect – dirty money and dishonest media resources, unfortunately, still affect the results. But we are definitely moving in the right direction. Each next free elections is another proof that Ukraine is free forever," he said.
On the other hand, according to Zelensky, Ukrainians always have too many emotions before elections.
"We haven't learned yet to calmly discuss and listen to each other. Seek compromises. Cooperate. And so, when the election campaign is nearing the finish line, election fatigue in society is endless. If you ask people on the streets today what they think about the elections, the majority of Ukrainians will frankly say: let it be over as soon as possible! We want silence and ... the truth. Responsibility. Sincerity. This is what our big politics are still lacking," he said.
According to Zelensky, there are many nominal democracies in the world but there are not so many real democracies when people's choice really matters.
"We definitely have got such choice. And it really matters. However, a well-known paradox: when you have something, you often do not appreciate it. This is especially true for our youth. They think: elections are not important, especially local ones. It's not the president who is elected," he said.
The president stated: "Everything in this life really depends on what you decide or it will be decided by someone for you." That is why, Zelensky stressed, the elections are important. "We must learn this. Today. Tomorrow. Always. Personal responsibility for any choice is the only way when mature and competitive societies are formed," he said.
Local elections in 2020
On October 25, the scheduled local elections were held in Ukraine. Polling stations opened at 08:00 and closed at 20:00 Kyiv time on that day. The current local elections were held based on a proportional system with open lists. The voting did not take place in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol, in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
