The presidential election in Russia held over the weekend “is not legal, free and fair,” the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a Sunday statement.
“On 15-17 March 2024, Russia held a so-called presidential election,” the ministry wrote. “The voting took place amid harsh repressions against society, preventing it from making a free, democratic choice,” it added.
“In breach of international law, the ‘election’ was conducted also on temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine: in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, as well as in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblasts,” the ministry continued. “Other regions where the vote was held included Moldova’s Transnistria as well as Georgia’s Tskhinvali/South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” it further added.
“Such ‘election’ may not be considered legal, free and fair,” the ministry said.
“Poland does not and will never accept the conduct and the results of the ‘election’ held on these territories,” it emphasized.
“Poland continues to strongly condemn such measures. We also object to Russia’s decision to prevent independent Russian observers from observing the vote and not to invite OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - TVP World] observers,” the ministry added.
“In breach of international law, the ‘election’ was conducted also on temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine: in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, as well as in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblasts,” the ministry continued. “Other regions where the vote was held included Moldova’s Transnistria as well as Georgia’s Tskhinvali/South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” it further added.
“Such ‘election’ may not be considered legal, free and fair,” the ministry said.
“Poland does not and will never accept the conduct and the results of the ‘election’ held on these territories,” it emphasized.
“In view of Russia’s successive implementation of repressive law, limiting the citizens’ rights and freedoms, including political ones, along with war censorship, politically motivated prosecutions, and rejection of anti-war candidates, the ‘election’ may not be considered free and fair,” the statement read.Russia's presidential election is not legal, free and fair.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇵🇱 (@PolandMFA) March 17, 2024
The entire statement ⬇️ https://t.co/jKpxK4f1eB
“Poland continues to strongly condemn such measures. We also object to Russia’s decision to prevent independent Russian observers from observing the vote and not to invite OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - TVP World] observers,” the ministry added.
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