Elena Shulyak: The authorities are not preparing for online elections; this is a manipulation.

Read about the possibility of upcoming elections in Ukraine, the feasibility of internet voting, the risks of a pro-Russian resurgence, the military's political party, the rebranding of "Servant of the People," the "eRecovery" and "eHousing" programs, and the search for funding for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction in this extensive interview with Elena Shulyak, head of the "Servant of the People" party, by RBC-Ukraine.

In the past two months, discussions regarding the forthcoming elections in Ukraine have significantly increased for an obvious reason – as political analysts say, the end of the war and the lifting of martial law feel much closer in time. Supporters of both the government and the opposition are vehemently accusing each other on social media of focusing "not on the war, but on the elections." This activation is noticeable in the political technology sphere and even in outdoor advertising.

Considering that, despite promises from across the ocean, no outlines of a peace agreement are currently visible, hybrid options are being discussed: for instance, suspending martial law solely based on a ceasefire, which would make it possible to hold elections.

However, as Shulyak stated in her conversation with RBC-Ukraine, such a scenario is impossible. "Is it possible not to extend martial law and allow a brief period to quickly hold elections? This question also needs to be closed because it is practically, physically, and legally impossible," said Shulyak.

Shulyak also recalled the issues that must be addressed before elections can be placed on the agenda, particularly regarding voting for the military and millions of Ukrainians abroad. She specifically noted that the level of trust among Ukrainians in internet voting (another popular election-related topic) is very low, just like the trust in mail-in voting.

In addition to the topic of elections, RBC-Ukraine discussed pressing issues with the head of the presidential party, including assistance for Ukrainians who lost their homes due to the war, as well as post-war reconstruction efforts – Shulyak chairs the committee on state governance, local self-government, and regional development in parliament.

– After Trump's victory, a narrative about the inevitability of negotiations and achieving peace by 2025 emerged in Western media. Some of our political players, possibly inspired by this narrative, have begun to speak about elections in 2025, with some already looking for sponsors and new faces, while others are starting to campaign. Do you think politicians are hurrying?

– Recently, President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke in parliament. He addressed the speculations of some politicians regarding the electoral process very clearly and precisely. We need to unite more today. Our enemy has not gone anywhere, and we face enormous challenges to achieve victory. Therefore, we must first win the war before addressing election-related issues.

In fact, some politicians currently in parliament, some with influence at the local level, and some future politicians who are volunteers today have already begun some pre-election preparations, which I believe are inappropriate and premature.

– There are a huge number of election-related issues that need to be resolved, regardless of when the elections take place: voting abroad, military voting, destroyed infrastructure, updating voter registries, and so on. Would it make sense to start addressing these problems in advance?

– Let's clarify: while there is a war and martial law is in effect, we will not talk about holding elections. As of today, there are hundreds of thousands of soldiers on the front lines. More than a million people are currently serving in the defense and security forces. Of course, they have the right not only to vote for the appropriate candidates in local elections, parliamentary elections, and presidential elections but also to exercise their right to be elected. And this is only possible when the war ends, when the military is demobilized, and when they can actively engage in the electoral process, where they can conduct campaigning and communicate their positions and plans to their potential voters.

Right now, we need to close the topic that elections can be held during martial law. We also need to close the other topic: whether martial law can be lifted and a brief period given to quickly conduct elections. This question also needs to be closed because it is practically, physically, and legally impossible.

– What is the minimum time required to organize transparent, democratic elections after the lifting of martial law?

– In December of the year before last, all parliamentary factions and groups gathered. These were the so-called "Mone Dialogues," where a corresponding document was signed: everyone agrees that elections can be held six months after the end of martial law. So, six months is the minimum period for everyone to prepare for elections, both technically and in terms of adopting the relevant legislation.

Currently, the Central Election Commission (CEC) plays a very important role in preparing for the electoral process. They are working on the voter registry, which was closed on February 24, 2022, and the accounting of polling stations. Unfortunately, thousands of such stations have been destroyed, as they were mostly located in kindergartens or schools that were destroyed by the aggressors. Therefore, it is essential to understand where new polling stations will be located and on what basis.

There is a lot of speculation regarding online voting and the use of "Dii". There is one nuance: when we talk about online voting and the experiences of other countries, it must be an entirely independent system that the CEC can manage in our realities. To my knowledge, the CEC does not have its own "Dii" for conducting elections. All manipulations regarding the government preparing for online elections are purely manipulative.

– Is it theoretically possible to hold elections in some electronic form in Ukraine?

– We looked at the experiences of Estonia and Finland; it took Estonia 25 years to implement the possibility of online voting, from the moment the idea was conceived to the actual voting. How many years this will take for Ukraine, I think no one can say. Despite the fact that we are currently one of the most digital states in the world.

– And all our processes are happening at an accelerated pace.

– We have elevated the provision of services through digital services to a new qualitative level. However, despite this, the level of trust among the population in online voting remains very low.

– And, obviously, the recent incidents of hacker attacks on registries have not increased trust.

– Hacker attacks do not inspire trust, of course, even though they involved the Justice Ministry's registries. But you are right; public trust is minimal. By the way, trust in mail-in voting is also low – only 8%.

– Although in the States, this is a popular voting model.

– It is popular, which is why Ukraine can study the diverse experiences of different countries. Not just Estonia, not just the States, but also countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, which have gone through post-war elections. Of course, they cannot be compared with the aggression and the full-scale invasion occurring on our territory. Nonetheless, they have experience: how the CEC operated, how the OSCE was involved, and how issues related to destroyed infrastructure were resolved.

Thus, we can study their experiences, but when it comes to deciding how to conduct the first post-war elections, the opinion of society will certainly be taken into account. It is crucial for us that elections are held in a clear democratic manner, ensuring that the results of such elections are accepted by everyone in society.

– Is the experience of holding elections over several days, particularly for Ukrainians abroad, being studied? This is also a fairly common practice in the West.

– The Council of Europe has assisted us in conducting research. Currently, we see that there are just over 100 polling stations abroad that can be opened quickly when elections take place. We understand that an additional 100 stations can be opened. However, if we calculate, that is still insufficient. We will need at least another 1000+ stations to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to vote.

There is another problem – only every 16th Ukrainian is registered with the consulate.

Countries like Germany, where more than a million of our people reside, and Poland, with about another million, pose challenges. Without assistance, without creating new polling stations, and without voting over several days, we may not be able to ensure the voting rights of our citizens.

– Even for those who are registered?

– Even for those who are registered.

– You communicate with many of our Western partners. Do you feel any push from them to ensure that elections, when technically possible, are not delayed?

– No, I do not feel any pressure or gentle nudging. Of course, we discuss the overarching issues at hand – internally displaced persons, our citizens abroad, our physical infrastructure. And how to ensure that all physical infrastructure meets the needs of people with disabilities. We discuss all these matters and seek ways to resolve them.

By the way, the CEC already has certain developments. Recently I attended a forum addressing issues