It is necessary to hold a referendum on Ukraine possibly joining NATO simultaneously with parliamentary elections, leader of the Batkivschyna all-Ukrainian Union Yulia Tymoshenko has said.
“We think that it is right to hold the referendum simultaneously with elections to the Verkhovna Rada,” Tymoshenko told reporters after the Central Election Commission took documents on the decision of people’s assembly to establish an initiative group on holding an all-Ukraine referendum on Ukraine joining NATO.
Holding the referendum and parliamentary elections simultaneously will save time and funds, she said.
“This would give an opportunity to hold the referendum during the elections. Everything exists. Polling stations exist, people will come, and it is not hard to print ballots. Only political will and decisive steps are needed. This is what Ukraine needs today most of all,” Tymoshenko said.
“We received today a statement from the Central Election Commission on submission of documents concerning the start of holding the referendum,” she said.
The early parliamentary elections are scheduled for Oct. 26.
The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has approved a bill cancelling the non-aligned status of Ukraine and resuming the course for Euro-Atlantic integration, and now the document is to be adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said earlier.
